Firstly, a massive protest march at the Place de la République today that started at 3 pm. Despite the COVID rule of “no more than six”, thousands turned out, not only in Paris, but all around the country: Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Nice and Nantes. Huge protest marches in homage to Samuel Paty, the slain high school teacher whose head was cut off by an Islamist terrorist because he showed images of the Prophet Mohammed in a classroom while teaching a lesson on critical thinking and freedom of speech. He was silenced. Well, the people of France will not be silenced.
No to barbarism!
I am a teacher. I’m thinking of you, Samuel.
Educate yourself! This is not The Middle Ages!
The prime minister, Jean Castex, was there as was Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, and Valérie Pécresse, the president of Ile-de-France (Paris and the outlying boroughs.)
Photo above: Voltaire wearing a facemask. Voltaire, the original Charlie, who said, way back in the 1600s!!! –
Je ne suis pas d’accord avec ce que vous dites, mais je me battrai pour que vous ayez le droit de le dire.
I do not agree with what you say, but I will fight for your right to say it.
A lot of emotion in France today (since last Friday).
More to come regarding the firm decision of France’s Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, to expulse (deport), within the next few hours, 231 foreigners tagged as radicalized Islamists, mainly to Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
Also about to change is the right to asylum. The subject will be brought up this evening at the emergency meeting Defense Council held at the Elysee Palace. After Friday’s terrorist attack, committed by a Chechen refugee who had obtained a residence permit at the age of 18, the Ministry of the Interior will examine more carefully the files of people who wish to obtain refugee status in France. Paris, which grants protection to nationals of certain countries, will no longer do so almost systematically.
Food for thought: an article in today’s The Guardian regarding “the freedom to offend”. The author writes “The more society gives licence for people to be offended, the more people will seize the opportunity to feel offended.” It’s true. Cancel culture has turned into killing culture. It needs to stop.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/18/the-freedom-to-offend-is-a-priceless-commodity
Thanks so much for this, Jules. Keep safe.
Thanks, Cordy! We’ll talk soon. Bisous.