BBC Online :
French President François Hollande has used a ceremony to honour a police officer slain in Paris last week to call for unity in the “long and difficult fight against terrorism”.
He awarded Xavier Jugelé, 37, the Legion of Honour, one of France’s highest honours.
The two candidates to succeed Mr Hollande, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, both attended.
They will face off at a second round of voting on 7 May.
Mr Jugelé, 37, was killed with a Kalashnikov rifle while on duty on the Champs Elysées avenue last Thursday, The main suspect is convicted criminal Karim Cheurfi.
“Once again France has lost one of its bravest sons,” Mr Hollande said. “Once again the Republic has lost one of its most valuable guardians.”
He said France’s struggle against Islamist terrorism was “a fight that is going to last, a fight that will be waged until the threat is completely neutralised”.
French President François Hollande has used a ceremony to honour a police officer slain in Paris last week to call for unity in the “long and difficult fight against terrorism”.
He awarded Xavier Jugelé, 37, the Legion of Honour, one of France’s highest honours.
The two candidates to succeed Mr Hollande, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, both attended.
They will face off at a second round of voting on 7 May.
Mr Jugelé, 37, was killed with a Kalashnikov rifle while on duty on the Champs Elysées avenue last Thursday, The main suspect is convicted criminal Karim Cheurfi.
“Once again France has lost one of its bravest sons,” Mr Hollande said. “Once again the Republic has lost one of its most valuable guardians.”
He said France’s struggle against Islamist terrorism was “a fight that is going to last, a fight that will be waged until the threat is completely neutralised”.
