It was 10 years ago to the day, January 11, 2015, the day after the terrorist attacks that had just struck France. A human tide had invaded the Place de la République in Paris to defend freedom of expression. In total, nearly 4 million people marched throughout France. Around forty heads of state and foreign governments made the trip. Ten years later, what remains of the spirit of brotherhood that illuminated this historic day?
Joel Saget is one of the emblematic photographers of Agence France Presse (AFP). Ten years ago, he covered the Parisian demonstration of January 11. Above all, he remembers the images of demonstrators thanking the police and journalists. “ It may sound like science fiction today, but it was reality “, he explains.
Tuesday January 7, in front of the headquarters ofCharlie Hebdomen and women of all ages came to pay their respects 10 years to the day after the tragedy. All had participated in the great Republican rally of January 11. They remember this urgent need to come face to face with pain, but regret that we were not able to learn the lessons of this tragedy.
“ Everything is going way too fast »
Certainly, Charlie Hebdo is still there ten years later. With designers under high police protection… At a time when the slightest drawing can unleash passions (especially among the youngest), it is becoming more and more difficult to work calmly for a designer.
The cartoonist Loïc Faujour knows something about this, having collaborated for several years with Charlie Hebdo And Siné Monthly. “ Todayhe said, the cover of Charlie Hebdo, when it leaves the printing press on Tuesday at 5 p.m., it is almost immediately on the networks and half an hour later, at the end of the world, in Qatar for example, and can almost immediately be criticized by a few imams. Everything is going way too fast. »
Also readJanuary 10, 2015: after the attacks, the shock and the reactions
As for AFP photographer Joel Saget, he especially remembers from the series of photos he collected on January 11, 2015 a shot that is particularly close to his heart. “ It was the end of the day, young people had perched on the statue of the Republic with slogans like “I am not afraid” and green smoke bombs were lit, a sort of nod to a form of hope. This summed up this day for me. Something happened then “, remembers the photographer.
To listen in Great report“Charlie Hebdo”: a look back at the attacks of January 2015