Attal pays tribute to victims of terrorism in Arras five months after the death of Dominique Bernard

The ceremony was held outside of Paris for the first time. On March 11, the annual day dedicated to victims of terrorism, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal pays tribute this Monday morning in Arras, the city where Professor Dominique Bernard was killed five months ago by a former student aged 20 and a case of Islamist radicalization.

Emmanuel Macron usually leads this tribute at Les Invalides in Paris, where a bronze statue has been erected symbolizing the words of the victims, which continues even after their deaths. This year, the head of government and former minister of national education wanted to move this ceremony in honor of the French teacher who was stabbed to death on October 13, 2023 in front of the Gambetta secondary school in Arras, where he taught.

Upon arrival, Gabriel Attal will visit the institution, which will remain open on Monday, to speak with students and then with teachers and renew “support for the nation.” This tragedy comes three years after the murder of another teacher, history and geography professor Samuel Paty, who was beheaded outside his college in Yvelines on October 16, 2020, after he showed cartoons of Muhammad to his students during a course on freedom of expression.

“In a place where education has suffered”

The Prime Minister will present the Legion of Honor insignia to five members of the Arras establishment who intervened during the attack. On January 1, they were knighted in the Legion of Honor, along with six police officers.

Gabriel Attal will then lead an official ceremony in the citadel of Arras, where about 600 people have been invited. Students and teachers from the two affected institutions will read texts, and a memorial gesture is planned after the speech by the head of government, who will then have lunch with elected officials and representatives of victims’ associations.

The Interministerial Delegation for Assistance to Victims (DIAV) explains that organizing the ceremony outside of Paris is “a fairly old request from the associations,” which are also “very attached” to the fact that it is held “in a place where education has suffered.” However, several associations expressed regret that they were not involved in the selection of the site.

This day of remembrance has a European dimension, as it marks the anniversary of the March 11, 2004 terrorist attacks in Madrid (192 dead), 20 years ago this year. Last year, President Emmanuel Macron praised the “dignity” and demand for “truth” and “humanity” that have marked the ordeal of the last decade of terrorist attacks in France, especially the Nice and November 13, 2015 attacks.

Visit to flood victims

After the ceremony, Gabriel Attal will remain in Pas-de-Calais to visit flood victims, as he has already done twice since his arrival in Matignon. He will visit a damaged house in Saint-Étienne-Haut-Monts before attending a presentation in La Calotherie about the emergency work carried out and discussing the Montreuil-sur-Mer resilience plan with local stakeholders.

Severe weather also affected southeastern France on Sunday, where the lifeless bodies of three victims were found in Gard and hundreds of rescuers are still searching for four more people, including two children from the same family. These people were swept away while trying to cross bridges over flooded rivers.