‘Are we all still Charlie?’: A decade after attack, a split in spirit of freedom looms

Paris: A decade after gunmen stormed the offices of the satirical newspaper

Charlie Hebdo in a deadly assault that shook France to its core and ignited a global

outcry in defence of freedom of speech, the nation paused on Tuesday to honour the victims and renew its resolve to fight for liberty and democracy.

President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo led solemn tributes at the site of the attack, where 12 people, including some of France’s most beloved cartoonists, were killed on January 7, 2015. Among those remembered was Ahmed Merabet, a police officer who was gunned down on the street while defending the newspaper. In a poignant ceremony, Macron stood with his wife, Brigitte, alongside former President Francois Hollande, who had steered France through the aftermath of the attacks.

Macron joined police officers in laying wreaths of flowers against the wall of the former Charlie Hebdo headquarters in the 11th district and the gathering observed a minute of silence.

A lone trumpet played, resonating through a neighbourhood scarred by that day’s bloodshed and later by the Bataclan massacre in November of the same year.

The attacks plunged France into a year of unparalleled terror, beginning with the Charlie Hebdo assault and culminating in the coordinated November attacks, including the Bataclan tragedy.

The nation was left grieving, yet public gatherings became acts of resilience, defying fear and standing firm against violence.

The massacre at Charlie Hebdo, carried out by two brothers claiming allegiance to al-Qaida, signalled the dawn of a dark new chapter for France. A wave of extremist violence forced the country to reexamine its security measures. In the days following the attack, then German Chancellor Angela Merkel marched arm in arm with Hollande and other world leaders through the streets of Paris — a powerful display of unity in defence of freedom of expression that reverberated far beyond French borders.

But 10 years on, the unity of that moment has given way to deeper divisions. Charlie Hebdo said its research

shows that while a majority of French still believe in the fundamental right to caricature, younger generations increasingly criticise satire they see as divisive or insensitive, particularly toward marginalised communities. “Are we all still Charlie?” one television special asked. For some, the answer is a resounding yes — a tribute to those who paid the ultimate price for freedom of expression. For others, the French media say, it’s a more complicated question.