We will not give in!
We will not give in to those, who, in the name of the Islamic State have inflicted a moment of absolute inhumanity on Paris and Saint-Denis. Nothing can justify such assassinations, here or elsewhere. Every one of the victims lives within us, because we belong to the same humanity. Our solidarity towards them and their families is total. But it is by continuing to live freely and fraternally that our response will be equal to the immensity of the crime.
We are not naïve: we know that these acts of terrorism call for a response commensurate with the danger they represent. We also know that the role of the law enforcement and security forces is essential for the protection of our freedoms. That should not, however prevent us from considering how our society should respond to theses acts, and to the measures already set in train.
It is Democracy itself that is undermined when Parliament is called upon to debate from one day to the next under the pressure of emotion and the onslaught of demagogy on the part of politicians who cultivate fear.
Following the extension of the state of emergency and the increase of police powers, further measures have been announced by the President of the Republic.
We deem it essential to recall that nothing must be allowed to move us away from the rule of law and to deprive us of our freedoms. The state of emergency must not become permanent, nor should its implementation limit social democracy, the exercise of citizenship and public debate.
Since 1986, there has been innumerable laws increasing the powers of the police, setting up special courts and restricting our freedoms, under the pretext of combating terrorism. With the adoption of yet further legislative measures, some even of a constitutional nature, we have a duty to question their effectiveness and the additional curb to our freedoms that they entail. Before changing the law and giving the Sate increased powers, the government should ask itself why it has not proved possible to prevent such abominations. The authorities seek to adopt a martial response, but that guarantees neither security nor respect for our freedoms.
To deprive persons of their nationality, even if born French, once again sends out a message of a divided France. The silence of the President of the Republic, during the parliamentary debate, on the essential commitment of the State regarding equal rights, social justice, the development of public services, against all forms of discrimination and all manifestations of racism, dramatically increases the feeling of exclusion experienced by part of the population. It fuels the increasing stigmatization that is endangering our will to live together.
What we want, on the contrary, is that these tragic events be the occasion to build a path different from the one proposed to us. A path on which we refuse to find scapegoats, on which France refuses to be at war with herself. A path which gives pride of place to peace and equal rights, and which leads to solidarity, to a France open to others, welcoming to the outside world, a France that is free and fraternal.
For the sake of our freedoms, for a fully fraternal society, we refuse to give way to fear, the fear that those who have made death the mainstay of their life want to impose upon us
We call upon the women and the men of this country to maintain the bonds of solidarity and to fight all forms of racism. We also call for the defense of our freedoms, because we are determined at all times to exercise our freedom of information, of expression, of demonstration and of assembly. Our organisations will set up, all over France, places where we can debate, and we will keep a permanent watch to ensure that our freedoms are safeguarded and that no one be the victim of discrimination.