A solemn Vigil for Samuel Paty in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine: We have not wavered

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Thousands of inhabitants “We remained standing”

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Supported by the presence of Prime Minister Jean Castex, thousands of people gathered in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine on Saturday October 20 to pay tribute to Samuel Paty, the teacher beheaded by an Islamist terrorist for showing caricatures of Mohammed in progress.

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The slogan chosen for this march was “We remained standing”, in reference to the famous phrase “Je suis Charlie” which followed the attack on Charlie Hebdo in January 2015.

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The nation's tribute to Samuel Paty

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Thousands of people, of all faiths, of all ages, from all over France, gathered to pay tribute to Samuel Paty. The entire nation saluted the courage of this teacher, who died for defending freedom of expression.

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A poignant speech from the Prime Minister

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Jean Castex spoke at this event, declaring that “we are all determined to defend our freedoms \nand our values. He paid tribute to a “quiet hero” and assured that France would not give in to obscurantism.

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Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, a battered but standing town

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The tragedy occurred in the heart of the city of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine. And although the pain and incomprehension are still very present, the inhabitants of the city have shown tremendous dignity. To use the words of Prime Minister Jean Castex: “France will never give up its values.”

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Despite the pain and the shock, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine stood up, and thus sent a strong message to all the enemies of freedom: it will always resist barbarism.

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