REPORTAGE – Only a few dozen people accompanied the official ceremonies, chaired by Emmanuel Macron.
Arm in arm, Louahab Nourdine and his companion, Frédérique Duchâtelier, eye the two gendarme vehicles blocking the entrance to Boulevard Richard-Lenoir, in 9e district of Paris, a few meters from the former offices of Charlie Hebdo. He brandishes his tricolor flag, she holds the day's edition of the satirical newspaper. Ten years after the attacks of January 6, which cost the lives of twelve people including eight journalists from Charlie Hebdothey came here to « pay tribute to all the victims ».
« We stand facing Islamic barbarism . I don't like amalgamations, they want to put us in the same basket as the Islamists »regrets this man from Algeria. « I chose France, I did my national service there, I had children there. I defend freedom of expression »he adds. Frédérique, for her part, remembers January 7, 2015 and the sirens they heard from their neighboring apartment. « It was awful »she blurted out, sobbing.
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However, only a few dozen people gathered for this tribute to the victims of January 7, 2015. At the same time, a hundred meters further, Emmanuel Macron and Anne Hidalgo laid a wreath in front of the former premises on rue Nicolas-Appert before respecting a minute of silence and intoning The Marseillaise. Accompanied by numerous ministers including François Bayrou, Bruno Retailleau and Rachida Dati, they then walked a few minutes to reach the commemorative plaque of the assassination of police officer Ahmed Merabet, also shot dead by the Kouachi brothers that day. The official delegation then went to Porte de Vincennes, in front of the Hyper Cacher store, where four people were murdered by the terrorist Amedy Coulibaly, during the hostage-taking on January 9.
“We must learn to defend ourselves”
On Boulevard Richard-Lenoir, Bernard Magaud, red cap and white beard, also explains that he wants « pay homage » to the missing. « Among those gathered here, some were here ten years agohe says. I live nearby. That day a neighbor warned me of the incident and I arrived there an hour later »he continues, before getting frankly annoyed: « At that time, I went to Pôle emploi behind the offices of Charlie and when I passed by, there were always CRS buses. And one day, nothing more ! I hope those who gave this order sleep as badly as I do. » He regrets that « freedom of expression is threatened »then leaves the scene.
In front of the Hyper Cacher at the Porte de Vincennes, five Israelite scouts from France – the Jewish scout movement – in uniform unfurled a vast French flag. Nathan, one of them, came to commemorate « an attack that marked the Jewish community ». « I remember two things : first, the defense of freedom is non-negotiable. Then we must learn to defend ourselves »he said, under the watchful eye of his comrades. « Ten years is a sad anniversary. Unfortunately, Parisians do not realize the importance of this event, which is why no one came »laments the 22-year-old young man.
« I return to the Hyper Cacher to do my shopping, but I often think of those who were killed »adds Danièle Klein, of the French Association of Victims of Terrorism. « Just two days ago, I saw the young cashier. Ten years ago, I remember someone else who was in his place : she left France »she explains, with contained emotion. « Yes, really, France has lost a certain form of serenity since the attacks »she adds. A few meters further, dozens of people get off in the Saint-Mandé metro station. Without a glance for the Hyper Cacher.
