This epitomizes the dilemma France faces today. French authorities want to welcome Muslims in large numbers, and not require them to assimilate. But they also want to uphold secularism and the freedom of speech. These two impulses are on a collision course.
More on this story. “Police interrogated French teacher over Mohammed cartoons four days before his murder following complaint – as it emerges bribed pupils waited two hours with killer to point out victim,” by Ross Ibbetson and Tim Stickings, Mailonline, October 21, 2020:
Police interrogated French schoolteacher Samuel Paty over Mohammed cartoons just four days before his murder after complaints were made by the father of a schoolgirl.
Paty was beheaded by 18-year-old Chechen Aboulakh Anzorov who lay in wait for two hours outside the Bois-d’Aulne school with two boys who identified the teacher in exchange for £300.
The 47-year-old history and geography teacher will today be awarded France’s highest order of merit, the Legion d’Honneur, in recognition of his efforts in trying to explain the importance of freedom of speech.
The allegation put to Paty by police ten days ago – that he showed his class images of Charlie Hebdo cartoons – is the very action for which he will be honoured at a national ceremony at the Sorbonne this evening….
Just days before his murder it was Paty who was questioned at a police station, telling officers: ‘I did not commit any offence.’…
While ISIS has not claimed responsibility for Paty’s killing, the magazine has previously urged people to emulate the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris which was also seen as revenge for blasphemy against Mohammed.
The Charlie Hebdo attackers were ‘leaving a clear path for others to follow’ because Western governments would not ‘carry out the punishment for the blasphemy prescribed by Islam’, the ISIS magazine said….