France: The Albertville Horror

Hat tip Francois DeSouche

In the southern French town of Albertville, a local elementary school, like all of France, was holding a tribute to Samuel Paty, the teacher beheaded by a terrorist outside his own school for the "crime" of showing  Charlie Hebdo "Mohammad cartoons" in class. Four of the children, aged 10, justified the murder for insulting the Prophet Mohammad and allegedly told the teacher they would kill him too if he showed such cartoons.

This led to the school informing the police, who apparently summoned the kids and their parents to the local station for an interview. Since the families were apparently Turkish, this had led to a ruckus in the Turkish community. 

The below article from the conservative French blogger, Francois DeSouche, has more details. We are working on the enclosed video of a statement by the French Interior Ministry explaining the police action, which is being criticized by some due to the age of the children.

The below article is translated by Fousesquawk. Note: I have used the word "detained" rather than "arrest" for the French word, arrêter, since it is clear that there were no actual arrests involved.

https://www.fdesouche.com/2020/11/07/albertville-quatre-enfants-de-10-ans-arretes-pour-apologie-du-terrorisme-complicite-et-menaces-de-mort/

Albertville (73): Four children, aged 10, (detained) for “justifying  terrorism”, complicity and death threats”. Turmoil in the Turkish community (Update: The government defends itself.)

-Sebastien de Lyon- November 7, 2020 at 9:22pm           

 

The Ministry of Interior reacted on Twitter to this police operation, denying that the officers had “used disproportionate force”. The incident, revealed by a  Turkish press agency, Thursday, had provoked a strong emotion on social media.

 France 3 (News)

 The (detention) Thursday in Albertville (Savoy) of 4 pupils of CM2, at their homes, suspected of justifying terrorism, has been denounced by members of the Turkish community on social media, leading the authorities to justify their action…..

 Courier Picard (News)

 The prosecutor of Chambery confirms that 4 pupils have been “detained” as part of an open investigation for "justifying terrorism, complicity and death threats”, following threatening comments (during) tributes to Samuel Paty.

 Contacted by CheckNews, the prosecutor of Chambery confirms that an investigation for “justifying terrorism, complicity, and death threats” has, indeed, been opened over the acts that occurred as part of ceremonies of tribute to the teacher, Samuel Paty, in an elementary school in Albertville.

 “Several children made troubling remarks,” justifying the act of the terrorist and threatening a professor by telling him, “You too. We will kill you,” stated the prosecutor.

 Each of the four children is aged 10, “about ten years,” they have not been placed in custody (possible at 13 years) but within the legal framework of a detention.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fousesquawk comment:

How each society would handle this can vary, and the idea of "arresting" 10-year-olds can spark a lot of disagreement. I doubt that French justice is so severe that these kids are going to jail, but I think, given the situation in France, that it was entirely appropriate for someone-be it school or police- to sit down and have serious talk with the kids and their parents. It may sound harsh, but given what's going on in France, who knows what these kids might do in ten years or so if they keep thinking this way.