Four years after the horrific killing of Samuel Paty, a French teacher beheaded on the street near his school, eight individuals are now on trial in Paris. They are accused of instigating or supporting the actions of Paty's killer, Abdoullakh Anzorov, a young Chechen man who was shot dead by police shortly after the attack.
The trial focuses on the events leading up to the murder, particularly how misinformation and online hate campaigns contributed to the tragedy. Over the course of seven weeks, the court will examine how a lie told by a 13-year-old student spiraled out of control on social media, ultimately inciting a brutal act of violence.
The defendants include two men accused of labeling Paty a “blasphemer” online, two friends who allegedly assisted Anzorov with logistics, and four individuals who offered moral support on social media.
Paty, a well-regarded history teacher in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, had conducted a lesson on freedom of speech on October 6, 2020. Using the Charlie Hebdo cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, he highlighted the importance of free expression. Out of respect, he advised students who might feel uncomfortable to look away during the brief display.
However, a misunderstanding quickly took root. When questioned by her father, a 13-year-old student falsely claimed that Paty had ordered Muslim students to leave the classroom to show a “naked picture” of the Prophet. The girl had not attended the class that day, and her claim was entirely false, but her father recorded and circulated videos repeating these allegations.
Brahim Chnina, the girl’s father, named Paty in videos posted on Facebook, while a local Islamist figure, Abdelhakim Sefrioui, further fueled the outrage by creating a video titled “Islam and the Prophet Insulted in a Public School.” This online campaign attracted widespread attention, leading to threats directed at Paty and his school.
One of the viewers was Anzorov, an 18-year-old Chechen refugee living in Rouen. Believing the rumors, he became fixated on avenging what he perceived as blasphemy. Enlisting two friends who now stand trial, he purchased a knife and replica firearms, then drove to Paty's school on October 16, 2020, where he carried out the attack.
The remaining defendants, who communicated with Anzorov on social media platforms like Snapchat and Twitter, are accused of providing verbal support that may have encouraged his violent intentions. While they acknowledge interacting with him, they deny any knowledge of his plans for murder.
Defense lawyers argue that although some of the defendants criticized Paty, they never explicitly encouraged violence. Prosecutors, however, assert that given the climate of heightened jihadist threats in October 2020, publicly denouncing Paty as a “blasphemer” effectively made him a target.
One year ago, the young girl at the center of the case was convicted in a minors' court for making false accusations and received a suspended prison sentence. Five additional students were also penalized for their involvement in the events that led to Paty's tragic death.
As the trial unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder of the destructive power of misinformation and social media in amplifying violence and hate.
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