Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credits: Ludovic MARIN / AFP 16:31 p.m., October 13, 2023

MEPs observed a minute's silence and paid tribute to the educational community and the victims of the knife attack in Arras on Friday. "The events that took place this morning in a high school in Arras have gripped us all with fear," said Assembly Vice-President Naïma Moutchou.

MEPs observed a minute's silence on Friday to express their solidarity "in the face of the horror" of the attack that left one dead and two seriously injured at a high school in Arras, as they resumed their suspended work at the end of the morning. "The events that took place this morning in a high school in Arras have gripped us all with fear," said the vice-president of the Assembly, Naïma Moutchou, expressing "the emotion of the national representation in the face of the horror of these acts, as well as our thoughts and solidarity with the victims and their families."

>> Follow the latest information on the knife attack in Arras here

"Dread", "disgust"... Politicians react to stabbing attack

The political class expressed its "horror" on Friday after the knife attack in Arras. "Three years after the despicable terrorist assassination of Samuel Paty, another deadly attack on teachers. Fear and disgust," reacted Jean-Luc Mélenchon (LFI). "Horror after the new murder of a teacher," wrote Olivier Faure (PS), for whom "we are not done with terrorism." For the President of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet (Renaissance), "horror has just struck". A teacher has been "cowardly murdered", denounced his counterpart in the Senate Gérard Larcher (LR).

"The fight against Islamism and its accomplices must be the No. 1 priority," said Bruno Retailleau (LR). "Everything must be done to eradicate Islamism, its soldiers and its relays," insisted Jordan Bardella (RN). "In Arras, jihad has just struck," denounced Eric Zemmour (Reconquête).

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Fabien Roussel (PCF) called for "the unity of the whole nation against terrorism". "The Republic is at the side of its teachers," said ecologist Cyrielle Chatelain. "She must be ruthless with her enemies," added Stéphane Séjourné (Renaissance). "Support for teachers and pupils," added the mayor of Lille, Martine Aubry (PS).