The day after the knife attack which killed a French teacher in Arras in Pas-de-Calais, the Sorbonne University in Paris hosted the presentation of the Samuel Paty prize on Saturday, October 14 in the afternoon, named after the history geography professor who died in the same conditions three years ago almost to the day. A prize that rewards the work of students to defend freedom of expression.
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For the presentation of the Samuel Paty prize, teachers and some students were under the gilding of the great amphitheater of the Sorbonne in Paris. The Prime Minister appeared in the middle of the ceremony. Élisabeth Borne wanted to send a message to the teaching world after theattack on Arras: “ We do not teach in anxiety, we do not learn with fear in our stomachs. So we will not give in to violence. We will face it and we will fight it. »
The attack in Arras occurs almost three years to the day after the assassination of Samuel Patyhistory and geography teacher beheaded on October 16, 2020, shortly after leaving his college in the Paris suburbs, for showing caricatures of Mohammed during lessons on freedom of expression.
At the Sorbonne, the words of Élisabeth Borne resonate with those of Gabriel Attal. A few minutes earlier, the Minister of National Education paid tribute to all teachers in France: “ These teachers are mourning the assassination of Dominique Bernard. Our nation cannot be satisfied with words of sympathy or expressions of support for our teachers. Our nation must show in action that it is fully behind our teachers. »
Nathalie Cazaze de Sanne is a history professor in Agen. She is stunned by this new attack, but more determined than ever to return to her students. “ Terrorists in general want us to be afraid and I refuse that. We absolutely must not be afraid because if we are afraid, it will mean that they will have won. »
The “emergency attack” alert level
This Friday, October 13, the Prime Minister raised the Vigipirate alert level to the “emergency attack” level, the highest of this security system, which allows the exceptional mobilization of resources. Up to 7,000 soldiers from the Sentinel force will be deployed in the territory “ by Monday evening and until further notice», announced the Élysée on Saturday.
Monday October 16, classes will not start until 10 a.m. in middle and high schools in France, to allow teachers to talk with each other before meeting up with their students. A minute of silence will be observed in all establishments at the beginning of the afternoon.
(And with AFP)