Several associations and unions launched this Saturday a call for a rally on Sunday at 3 p.m. Place de la République in Paris to pay tribute to the professor of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine beheaded Friday after showing caricatures of Muhammad to his students.
Live: LIVE - Decapitated professor: nine people arrested, national tribute will be paid
This call was initiated by SOS Racisme, FSU, Sgen-CFDT, Unsa-Education, SNALC, FCPE, FIDL (high school union), FAGE, UEJF and "
Dessinez Create Liberty
".
"
We are still awaiting authorization from the prefecture,
" Frédéric Marchand, secretary general of Unsa Education, told the press after a meeting at the Ministry of Education with the teachers' unions, in the presence of Prime Minister Jean Castex.
Read also: Decapitated professor: update on the investigation and the profile of the assailant
“
I understand this initiative, I support it.
If it were to take place, I would obviously go to this event in accordance with the sanitary conditions that are ours today,
”for his part, Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer told the press.
“
We must show our support for the Republic,
” he added.
“
Beyond this gathering, we call on our local representations to organize initiatives in the coming days
,” wrote the associations at the origin of this call.
In order to "
say that we think of Samuel Paty (the murdered professor) as well as of his bereaved relatives
", "to
say that teachers must be supported in the exercise of their profession
", to say "
that we are attached to freedom expression and that we reject extremist and obscurantist logics
”, they underlined in particular.
The Élysée indicated on Saturday that a “
national tribute
” would be paid to the teacher.
Charlie Hebdo newspaper also called for participation in Sunday's rally.
