French police probe supporters of Islamist killer

2020-10-19 17:00:50 GMT2020-10-20 01:00:50(Beijing Time) Sina English

France’s interior minister said yesterday police investigations were underway into dozens of people who allegedly issued messages of support for the attacker after the beheading of a history teacher near Paris.

Gerald Darmanin said on French radio Europe 1 that at least 80 cases of hate speech have been reported since Friday’s attack.

Samuel Paty was beheaded in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, northwest of Paris, by an 18-year-old Moscow-born Chechen refugee, who was later shot dead by police. Police officials said Paty had discussed caricatures of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad with his class, leading to threats.

French President Emmanuel Macron held a defense council on Sunday at the Elysee presidential palace. The government will reinforce security at schools when classes resume on November 2 after two weeks of holidays, Macron’s office said.

French President Emmanuel Macron met with Paty’s family yesterday morning, the French presidency said.

Macron was also to meet with the members of France’s leading Muslim organization, the French Muslim Council, or CFCM, later in the day.

 A national homage is to be held for Paty tomorrow.

Players, coaches and referees at high-level soccer matches this weekend will wear a black armband in a tribute to Paty.

The French league said in a statement yesterday that a minute of silence will be observed before kick-off at all professional matches in leagues 1 and 2.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered on Sunday across France in support of freedom of speech and in memory of the slain 47-year-old teacher.

French authorities said they detained 11 people following the killing.

Darmanin said they include the father of a student and an Islamist activist who both “obviously launched a fatwa,” or religious ruling, against the teacher.

A man who said he was the father of a student had posted a video on social media asserting that Paty had shown an image of a naked man and told students it was “the prophet of the Muslims.”

He called on other angry parents to contact him, and relay the message.

Darmanin said authorities were also looking into about 50 associations suspected of encouraging hate speech. Some will be dissolved, he said.

(Agencies)

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