ARRAS: Colleges throughout France will on Monday (Oct 16) maintain a minute of silence for the trainer stabbed to loss of life in what President Emmanuel Macron known as an act of “Islamist terror”.
The nationwide tribute will come a day after hundreds gathered in Arras, northeastern France to pay their respects to 57-year-old Dominique Bernard.
His killing on Friday has despatched shockwaves by means of the nation and led to requires tighter safety at colleges. The federal government has already put the nation on excessive alert and deployed 7,000 troops.
The assault in Arras, dwelling to massive Jewish and Muslim populations, got here towards a backdrop of rising battle within the Center East.
The suspected perpetrator, a 20-year-old Russian man, has been arrested for the killing and for having additionally critically wounded three others on the faculty he used to attend.
“Arras is being examined, however Arras is standing … we’re standing,” mayor Frederic Leturque advised a crowd of greater than 5,000 folks gathered within the central sq. Sunday.
Of these wounded, one who was hospitalised with essentially the most severe accidents “appears to be higher”, a supply near the matter advised AFP.
The assault got here virtually three years to the day after the Oct 16, 2020 beheading of trainer Samuel Paty close to his faculty in a Paris suburb.
“It is insufferable to need to relive the identical fright,” mentioned Catherine Piecuch of the FSU schooling union. “The state should take all measures to make sure the safety of workers and college students.”
Monday’s minute of silence in French colleges will happen at 2.00pm.
Schooling Minister Gabriel Attal advised broadcaster TF1 Sunday that native authorities would meet subsequent week to debate safety at colleges. He prompt they need to “go additional” in offering safety guards and video surveillance.
