Jean Castex, but also Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Anne Hidalgo and Valérie Pécresse took part in the Place de la République gathering on Sunday, October 18 in tribute to the teacher killed on Friday by an 18-year-old Chechen Russian.

From the extreme left to a few representatives of the right, several political leaders took part on Sunday, October 18 in the rallies organized two days after the violent assassination of Samuel Paty, professor of history and geography at Conflans-Sainte-Honorine in the Yvelines.

Political and anonymous personalities pay tribute to Samuel Paty place de la République

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Prime Minister Jean Castex himself went to the rally at Place de la République in Paris, before participating in a Defense Council at the end of the day.

You don't scare us.


We are not afraid.


You will not divide us.


We are France!

pic.twitter.com/GjUQo9AePa

- Jean Castex (@JeanCASTEX) October 18, 2020

Girded with a tricolor scarf and surrounded by several deputies of his party, the leader of LFI, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, declared to the press that it was "our duty to us Republicans to be present" at this rally in the capital, while "the goal of these criminals is to divide us".

But "the government should ask itself questions" about what may have led to the assassination of Samuel Paty, he added.

We gathered in Place de la # République to demonstrate a unity of the whole country behind its teachers and against the acts of the Islamist terrorist who beheaded #SamuelPaty.



We are not afraid.



We will not be divided.

pic.twitter.com/F84r20YLBj

- Jean-Luc Mélenchon (@JLMelenchon) October 18, 2020

The bosses of the PS, Olivier Faure, and of Europe-Ecology-The Greens, Julien Bayou, were also present.

The mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo likewise.

The president of the Île-de-France region, Valérie Pécresse (ex-LR) indicated that she was coming "Place de la République to support our teachers struck in their flesh" on Twitter.

"But I deny all those who have been in all the parades and all the petitions with the Islamists the right to have a clear conscience and to be exempt from all responsibility by demonstrating," she added, referring to the far left.

The boss of La République en Marche, Stanislas Guerini, had also planned to be present, as were several deputies of the majority.

No national union

Deputy Chairman of LREM deputies, Aurore Bergé (ex-LR), however, indicated that she would not participate.

School principals "are not waiting for yet another event, yet again banners, candles, flowers, it is to have very concrete actions", she explained to Radio J. Elected from Yvelines, she was on Saturday alongside the inhabitants, but does not want Sunday to be "alongside people who have created a climate favorable to these ideologies, or in any case have ceased to fight them", she declared in referring to the rebellious Eric Coquerel or Danièle Obono.

Likewise, some LR officials justified their absence.

"There have been too many attacks without real retaliation. Too many marches followed by too many setbacks. Too many tributes without courage", tweeted the boss of LR senators, Bruno Retailleau.

Today I will not be Place de la République.


Like all Republicans, I have #SamuelPaty in my heart.

Like all patriots, I want to fight the barbarism which is once again plaguing our country.


But precisely https: //t.co/DNRxQQNuaW

- Bruno Retailleau (@BrunoRetailleau) October 18, 2020

On the national rally side, "there will be activists, supporters and members" in the demonstrations, but no officials.

They "are in political action, working on something more concrete and are a little fed up with the candle policy," the party was told.

With AFP

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