Red eyes dot the crowd.
The emotion was palpable this Saturday morning at the gymnasium of the Butte, in Eragny-sur-Oise.
The town, his town, paid tribute to Samuel Paty, inhabitant of the town murdered a year ago to the day by a terrorist, shortly after leaving the college of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine (Yvelines), where he was teaching.
A drama so terrible and so close.
In front of the stage adorned with a large black and white photo of the teacher, around 350 people were able to meditate.
Among them, local elected officials, representatives of local associations, National Education but also and above all many anonymous.
Éragniens of all ages, ordinary citizens of the surrounding municipalities, who came alone, with family or friends.
A moment all the more important because, Covid-19 obliges, the ceremony planned last year was not finally able to take place.
A difficult mourning to do
“It is rue du Buisson-Moineau that the tragedy occurred, a few steps from his home, recalled the mayor (LR) of Éragny, Thibault Humbert, during his speech.
All those who lived through this moment still find it difficult to mourn it.
"And to quote, before inviting the public to applaud them:" Stunned witnesses, municipal police officers, first responders, municipal agents responsible for intervening on the appalling scene, neighbors unable to reach their homes, the volunteers of the medico-psychological unit who have done a remarkable job.
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Eragny-sur-Oise, this Saturday.
LP / AC
With, months later, still “immense” stigmata.
For the city councilor, there is all the more need to pay homage to Samuel Paty today so that "there is no new beginning" and "to roll back this creeping scourge that is Islamist terrorism".
“Education is the most powerful weapon that can be used to change the world,” he said.
And secularism must be explained to each child, to each parent, understood, embraced because it is the best bulwark against communitarianism.
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"I had to be present"
In the public, flowers and words to respond to evils. Filed under the teacher's portrait to the sound of classical music. “I had to be there for everything that represents. Both the horror of his death, which touched me a lot, and the symbol he has become, ”says Chantal, 68, who came especially from Osny. “I have teachers in my family, I necessarily think of them. It is so unimaginable. And then of course I think of his son. How can we explain to him that his father died like that? Breathes Nicole, a retiree from Eragny.
Diana, who came with her 13-year-old daughter, has trouble hiding her tears.
“I'm 55 and I remember a teacher of mine who saw that I was not doing well and asked me questions.
He listened to me, without judging me and that was very important in my life.
Samuel Paty's death is as if this teacher had been killed for me, ”she explains.
Many teachers also wanted to be present.
“Because he is one of our colleagues, first of all, and then because this barbaric act touched us a lot.
And then it is important to be able to meet, as we were not able to do last year ”, underline three teachers from the Éragny schools.
“We hope that will never happen again, of course!
But we must also ensure, now, that teachers have the means to work, that they are supported and all this over the long term, ”insists Christel, professor at Ferc-CGT.