French Students Protest Terrorist Shootings in Paris

French high schooler advocating for free speech went to the streets with millions of protestors

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Lefebvre

French students protest anti-expression terrorist attacks. High school students rallied in Meaux.

Sofie Lie, reporter

Thousands of people filled the streets of Paris this past weekend in response to the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo. High school students were among the crowd.

“We’re protesting to support the newspaper Charlie Hebdo,” Capucine Lefebvre said. “And to support our freedom of expression.”

Lefebvre, along with many students at her high school in Meaux, a town near Paris, rallied to show support for the newspaper.

Even at Disneyland they stopped all the attractions and music for the minute of silence.

— Lefebvre

“Today, there was a walk in Paris with a million people to show that we support the newspaper,” Lefebvre said. “And to pay tribute to the people who were killed and to say that we are against this violence from terrorists.”

Press freedom has been the talk of the week after social media erupted with the hashtag #jesuischarlie in honor of the murder of 12.

“On Thursday in France, we all did a minute of silence at 12 p.m. I was at school, and everybody was really shocked by what happened,” Lefebvre said. “Even at Disneyland they stopped all the attractions and music for the minute of silence.”

The rallies are continuing to spark national interest as the French Prime Minister recently declared war with radical Islam in response to the murders.

“Everybody is motivated by sadness,” Lefebvre said.