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Snapshot 7:Wed, Nov 6, 2024 2:01:24 PM GMT last edited by Eric

France: Trial Begins in Beheading of Teacher Over Prophet Cartoons

France: Trial Begins in Beheading of Teacher Over Prophet Cartoons

Above: A person holds a placard with the portrait of Samuel Paty on Place de la Republique in Paris on Oct.18, 2020. Image copyright: BERTRAND GUAY/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images

The Facts

  • Eight people went on trial in Paris on Monday in connection with the murder of Samuel Paty, a 47-year-old history teacher, who was beheaded outside his school on Oct. 16, 2020. The assailant, an 18-year-old Russian of Chechen origin, Abdoullakh Anzorov, was killed by police.

  • The attack occurred 11 days after Paty showed caricatures of Prophet Muhammad during a class on freedom of expression, where he reportedly told the students who might be offended to leave the classroom if they wished.

  • The defendants include Brahim Chnina — the father of the then-13-year-old student who falsely claimed that she was expelled from class for opposing Paty, though she wasn't present during the lesson.

The Spin

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Metaculus Prediction


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