a shopkeeper shows his support for Charlie Hebdo, he is threatened and insulted

«I try to act at my level to support freedom of expression.»Gérard *, 48, is a trader. He has been living in a town in Seine-Saint-Denis for a few months. At the beginning of September, when the trial of the attacks against Charlie Hebdo begins, he decides to post front pages of the satirical newspaper on the front of his store.

Read also :In Nice, Islamist terrorism strikes the Church to the heart

For him, it is a citizen act. “I would like more of us to mobilize to defend freedom of expression», Explains the trader. “Like many French people, I was very marked by the attacks of January 2015. It shocked me a lot.», Says this admirer of the designer Cabu. Before continuing: “With the trial, I said to myself: ‘what can I do at my level to support the survivors?’. So I decided to post some headlines every week for trial time».

»SEE ALSO – Charlie Hebdo: should we show cartoons at school?

“It was quite violent”

«Many people supported my initiative, sometimes stopping in front of the store with their thumbs up», Continues Gérard. But the trader has also been the target of worrying threats in recent weeks. On September 8, Gérard is in his shop when he feels that “someone is staring at him from outside“. A man then enters the store insulting and threatening him. “Shut your mouth, you’ll see asshole!“, he said to him. “I tried to initiate a discussion but he did not calm down. I didn’t understand what he wanted», Says Gérard.

The man then tears up the front page of Charlie Hebdo which was plastered on the window that day. “He crumpled it up and yelled, ‘I’m going to put it in your ass. It was quite violent. I was in the store with my intern, we were quite surprised», Continues the trader. Gérard then begins to pay more attention. It is indeed not uncommon that “people come in front of the shop and take pictures», Giving rise to fears of spotting.

A new episode took place a few days later, on September 22. “An individual arrived in front of the store. He had a very blank gaze. I noticed that he was staring at the front page with the three caricatures, those of Edwy Plenel, Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Tariq Ramadan», Says Gérard. The man finally returns 20 minutes later. He then films the store and at the same time seems to be in a telephone conversation, in Arabic, with another person. The individual finally enters the shop, tears up the one he observed a few minutes before, before leaving.

A few days ago, Gérard also said that a man came to his shop to ask him if he had had any problems lately with his Charlie Hebdo front pages. “He asked me lots of questions then he ended up telling me that he was a Salafist», Explains the trader. “We talked about the cartoons. He told me that Salafism was a return to fundamental values ​​but that it was not violent. He seemed a bit lost and the discussion was a bit surrealHe continues.

A complaint filed

After the intimidation to which he was the subject, Gérard initially did not wish to give up putting up some on his window. “After the murder of Samuel Paty , I was totally stunned. Some friends said to me: ‘please take off your headlines’ », he explains. Before continuing: “In recent days, many clients have told me: ‘we support you, this is what you do’”. The trader wanted to stick to what he had initially decided – post headlines until the end of the trial. Charlie Hebdo -, because he found that “important as a trader but also as a citizen ”.

But he finally decided to withdraw them a little earlier than planned for “Calm things down” in this troubled time. “The trial will soon be over. I did my part of the job», Considers the trader. Before continuing: “I also have a duty to protect my two employees».

Following the threats to which he was subjected, Gérard received a visit from a police commissioner. The latter, deeming the matter sensitive, encouraged him to file a complaint. What the trader did on Tuesday. This complaint was confirmed at Figaro by a police source. Contacted several times, the town hall of the city where the merchant is installed did not respond to our requests.

* The first name has been changed to preserve anonymity.

– .