Video of Samuel Paty’s murder shared online

Samuel Paty, 47, was stabbed to death and then beheaded on the street by 18-year-old Russian citizen Abdullakh Anzorov.

Police were called to Eragny in the north-western suburbs of Paris shortly after 5 p.m. Friday after the decapitated body of Mr Paty was discovered.

When police arrived, Anzorov fired an air rifle at the officers and reportedly tried to stab the officers as they got closer.

The 18-year-old was shot by police nine times and later died of his injuries.

Sources close to the investigation said the attacker shouted “Allahu Akbar” before police opened fire.

SICK VIDEO, UPLOADED PHOTOS

Before the police arrived, Anzorov sent videos and photos of the murder to Russian-speaking ISIS supporters, which were shared on ISIS social media accounts.

A photo of Mr Paty’s severed head was also uploaded to Twitter, on an account that investigators have since confirmed to belong to Anzorov. The 18-year-old confesses to the murder in the mail.

“In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. From Abdullah, the servant of Allah, to Macron, the leader of the infidels, I executed one of your hellhounds who dared to belittle Mohammed and reassure his companions before they were severely punished, ”the Twitter post said .

Mr Paty had received numerous death threats after showing students pictures of the Prophet Muhammad during a class on freedom of expression.

For Muslims, the portrayal of the prophet is considered blasphemous.

The pictures he showed were cartoons published by the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdowho had previously sent waves of anger through the Islamic community.

In 2015, Islamic gunmen massacred 12 people who worked for the magazine.

Mr Paty reportedly invited Muslim students to leave the classroom before showing the cartoon.

However, one Muslim student stayed behind and then told her parents, prompting her to file a complaint against the 47-year-old teacher.

Investigators questioned Brahim Chnina, who denounced the teacher in a video uploaded on social media and shared the school’s address while calling for a “mobilization” against Mr. Paty.

In the video, Mr. Chnina branded Mr. Paty as a “thug” and asked other parents to complain about his behavior.

Investigators believe Anzorov saw the father’s social media posts and then drove around 80 km to Eragny to murder the teacher.

Anzorov waited outside the school and asked students to identify Mr. Paty before launching his attack, according to anti-terrorism officials.

The Russian embassy in Paris said Anzorov’s family came to France as asylum seekers from Chechnya when they were six.

In March, the killer was given a 10-year stay in France as a refugee.

A total of 11 people were arrested and questioned in connection with the murder, including the student’s father, well-known Islamic activist Abdelhakim Sefrioui and members of Anzorov’s family, including his parents, grandfather and 17-year-old brother.

Counterterrorism prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard also announced that Anzorov’s half-sister traveled to Syria in 2014 to join ISIS.

Thousands join demonstrations

Tens of thousands of people filled the streets of Paris and cities across France on Sunday to show solidarity with Mr Paty.

Demonstrators at the Place de la Republique in Paris held placards reading “No to totalitarianism” and “I am a teacher” in memory of the murdered 47-year-old.

“You don’t scare us. We are not afraid. You will not divide us. We are France! “Tweeted Prime Minister Jean Castex, who joined the Paris demonstration.

Mr Castex was accompanied by Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Junior Interior Minister Marlene Schiappa, who said she was there “to support teachers, secularism and freedom of expression”. Politicians from the other major parties also took part.

Some in the crowd sang “I am Samuel” and repeated the scream “I am Charlie” that was spread after the Charlie Hebdo massacre.

In between applause, others recited: “Freedom of expression, freedom to teach.”

According to the local authorities, around 12,000 people have gathered in Lyon in eastern France.

In Toulouse in the southwest, around 5000 were found. Hundreds more gathered in Nice, on the south coast, where a man killed 86 people when he rammed a truck into a crowd on July 14 in 2016.

“Everyone is at risk today,” said 18-year-old student Valentine Mule, who attended the rally in Nice. “Things have to change.”

More than 3,000 marched in the eastern city of Strasbourg, 1,500 in Lille in the north, 2,500 in Marseille and 2,000 in Montpellier.

– with AFP