French President Macron decries beheading of teacher in Paris, calls it 'terrorist attack'

Terror has struck France for the second time in three weeks. A history teacher was beheaded in a street in a Paris suburb, after which the suspected attacker was shot and killed by police.

French President Emmanuel Macron denounced what he called a "terrorist attack”. As quoted by Sputnik, Macron while condemning the attack said that the compatriot was murdered for teaching children freedom of speech and freedom of expression.

French President said, "Our compatriot was killed for teaching, for teaching children freedom of speech, freedom to believe, or not to believe. Our compatriot was the victim of a terrorist attack."

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'An attack on France'

France Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer also criticised the incident and called it an 'attack on France'. His tweet in French can be roughly translated to: "Tonight the [French] republic was attacked with the heinous murder of a teacher. Tonight as I think about him and his family, I feel that our unity and solidarity are the only answers to the cruelty of terrorism. We will fight back." 

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Reportedly, the teacher, who was attacked with a knife around 17:00 local time (15:00 GMT), had earlier shown controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad to his pupils.

This attack took place near the area called Conflans-Sainte-Honorine. Currently, anti-terror prosecutors are investing the case further. The knife-wielding attacker was shot by the police as they tried to arrest him in the aftermath of the attack. So far, no personal details about the attacker have been released by the police.

Prior to this incident, around three weeks ago, a man had attacked and wounded two people outside the French weekly magazine's former office. According to local media, the local people allege that the attacker is a parent of one of the students who the victim taught. 

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Trial over 2015 attack on 'French Weekly' is underway

Currently, a trial is underway in Paris over a 2015 terrorist attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. This magazine was targeted after it published some controversial cartoons. Over dozens of people were killed in this terrorist massacre. After the trial for the 2015 attack began in Paris earlier on September 3, the magazine had reprinted the controversial cartoons, saying that this was the right time to do so. 

READ | Charlie Hebdo Republishes Old Cartoons On Eve Of 2015 Terrorist Massacre Trial In Paris

(With ANI inputs)