France: ten years after the attacks in Toulouse and Montauban, tribute to the victims

Toulouse, March 19, 2022: a man places a teddy bear in tribute to the victims of the massacre at the Ozar Hatorah school in Toulouse.

Three children and a father were murdered on March 19, 2012 by Mohamed Merah, a radicalized criminal.

© Remy de la Mauvinere/AP

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

Ten years after the series of attacks in Toulouse and Montauban, President Emmanuel Macron as well as two of his predecessors, Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande and Israeli President Isaac Herzog, pay tribute to the victims, during a ceremony this Sunday 20 March in Toulouse.

These attacks are the first of a wave of terrorist attacks that will traumatize France.

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Everything changed on March 11, 2012 in Toulouse.

A police patrol then discovers the body of a young 30-year-old soldier, shot in the head.

The man had gone on a date to sell his motorcycle via an internet advertisement.

Four days later, in Montauban, three soldiers in the process of withdrawing money in front of their barracks, are shot at by an individual on a scooter.

Two of them die under the bullets;

the 3rd is doing miraculously, but remains heavily handicapped.

Then, the so-called “

” leaves, shouting “ 

 to continue his murderous course.

On March 19, this time he changed his target and stopped in front of the

.

There, he opened fire in front of the gate, killing two children aged 4 and 5 and their father.

In his bloodthirsty madness, he then shoots a 7-year-old girl with a bullet in the head and injures a 17-year-old boy in his path.

Anti-terrorism and the judicial police quickly track Mohamed Merah, a 23-year-old young offender.

He is hyper violent and radicalized.

He was shot on March 22, after 30 hours of talks.

►Also listen: World Religions - Ozar Hatorah School: remembering...

Tributes will take place at two locations in the city in the afternoon. 

First of all, at the beginning of the afternoon, at the Ohr Torah school, where Mohamed Merah had killed 4 people, including 3 children.

A tribute in a small committee, since only the French and Israeli heads of state accompanied by their wives will be on site.

They will lay a wreath of flowers at the foot of the school's tree of life before a discussion with Yaacov Monsenego, the school director.

At the same time, at another place in the city, at the Halle au grain, round tables will begin around the defense of the values ​​of the Republic and secularism.

Former Prime Minister Manuel Valls, Senate President Gérard Larcher, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo are expected.

The memorial ceremony will begin around 4:45 p.m.

It will open with a series of readings interspersed with music then, after a minute of silence in homage to Ukraine, Franck Teboul, the president of the local CRIF - the representative council of Jewish institutions in France - will speak.

This will be followed by speeches by Isaac Herzog, the President of the State of Israel, and Emmanuel Macron, the French President. 

About 2000 people are expected for this tribute.

The four victims of the attack on the Ozar Hatorah school in Toulouse, March 19, 2012. AFP / File

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