Once Samuel Paty gave his course where he interacted with his students around one of the caricatures of Mohammed published by “Charlie Hebdo”, the Bois-d'Aulne college in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine (Yvelines) experienced a real campaign of cyberharassment. This fueled Abdoullakh Anzorov’s criminal project.
October 5, 2020. In front of the class of 4e 5, Samuel Paty gives his course on press freedom entitled “Dilemma situation: to be or not to be Charlie”. The course presents two visions of freedom of expression. One consisting of publishing caricatures of Mohammed, the other considering limits leading to abstaining. He does not give his opinion but illustrates his point by showing one of the drawings.
“He said that there were perhaps Muslims in the room and suggested that they go out if they wanted so as not to be shocked,” said the school life assistant who was present during the course. , assuring that “this had been done in a very correct way, absolutely not discriminatory”.
In the teachers' room, Samuel Paty is surprised that students are offended by this course that he has been giving for four years.
October 6. A student's mother calls the principal and complains that the teacher “asked Muslims to report.” Samuel Paty specifies that he addressed “the whole class”. The principal asks her to call the mother to explain and apologize. “You are completely excused,” replies the mother. Samuel Paty gives his course again, this time to the 4e 4.
October 7. The establishment notifies the parents of Leïla*, a 4 year old studente 4, that their daughter will be excluded for two days for disciplinary problems.
Samuel Paty's course continues to get people talking. Other parents called the principal, who asked the teacher to “go over what happened” with his students. She said she notified territorial intelligence.
From 10:26 p.m., Leïla's father sent messages to his Facebook and WhatsApp contacts calling for mobilization against Samuel Paty. A few minutes later, he was contacted by Abdelhakim Sefrioui, founder of the Cheikh Yassine Collective. The two men will remain in constant contact.
October 8. Leïla’s mother shows up at the school, furious that “the professor [ait] showed the prophet naked and [ait] asked Muslims to leave the class”, and accuses him of excluding his daughter on the grounds that she refused to leave. The principal explains that the exclusion is not linked to this course.
Two hours later, Leïla's father and Abdelhakim Sefrioui showed up at the school. They demand the dismissal of Samuel Paty, whom they call a “thug”. The main email alert the professor. The latter retorts that the situation is all the more distressing since Leïla did not attend her class. He says he is ready to meet parents who wish to do so.
At 7:39 p.m., Leïla's father posts a video on WhatsApp asking for the professor to leave. At 8:30 p.m., he accompanied his daughter to the police station to file a complaint for “distribution of child pornography to a minor”.
October 9. In an email to management, Samuel Paty underlines “the absurdity of the situation”. A demonstration is announced in front of the establishment. An academy inspector goes to the college and meets Samuel Paty. In his report, he emphasizes that Leïla's father “is trying to build a case that distorts the facts by making the teacher appear to have acted against Muslims.” However, he specifies that Samuel Paty “recognized an error in not wanting to offend the students”.
The principal sends an email to parents and teachers expressing her desire to “start off on a peaceful and confident basis”.
On October 12, Samuel Paty expressed his concern about “a video with his name” on the Internet
October 10. Samuel Paty receives emails of support from parents and teachers. Two colleagues openly disapprove of his approach. The video of Leïla's father has been viewed 4,500 times. The academy inspector recommends a complaint. On the college voicemail, a message threatens to “take care of your Paty”. A journalist from France Maghreb 2 warns Leïla's father that his daughter did not attend the course.
October 11. Abdelhakim Sefrioui broadcasts a second video in which he interviews Leïla and her father in front of the school. She says she attended the class and was excluded after protesting against the presentation of a caricature. Sefrioui calls for mobilization and describes the teacher as a “thug”.
October 12. At the end of their nerves, teachers are threatening to exercise their right to withdraw. Samuel Paty expresses his concern about “a video with his name” on the Internet. In the evening, a general assembly brings together teachers and academy inspectors. Teachers now accompany their colleagues between the college and their home.
October 13. Samuel Paty and the principal file a complaint. The professor explains that Leïla, whose father seems to be at the center of the cabal, has in fact never attended his class.
October 14. Summoned to the police station, Leïla and her father do not show up.
October 16. At noon, Samuel Paty plays ping-pong with a colleague. “He was very angry with the two colleagues who did not want to support him,” explains this teacher, believing that he was “losing his footing”. He asks a colleague to accompany him to his home. The latter refuses due to time constraints. From his dressing room, the receptionist sees him leaving the establishment at 4:50 p.m. The teacher puts on his hood and headphones. On the camera, the officer sees someone following him and loses sight of them.
* The first name has been changed.
