French City Refuses To Honor Slain Police Officer for Fear of Offending Muslims
Reported By Lisa Payne-Naeger | October 17, 2018 at 5:04pm
Under any other circumstances, a law enforcement officer who sacrificed his life to save that of another, whether or not it was in the line of duty, would be widely heralded as a hero. No question.
Arnaud Beltrame was a lieutenant colonel with the National Police in Marseille, France, and he lost his life in the line of duty. He was killed by 25-year-old Radouane Lakdim, a Moroccan-born Muslim terrorist.
Beltrame was certainly a man worthy of honors. But according to Voice of Europe, recognition for his bravery doesn’t seem to be in the cards.
CNN reported the incidents that led to Beltrame’s death in March.
“Interior Minister Gérard Collomb said the officer, a lieutenant colonel with the National Police, offered to exchange himself for one of the female hostages being held inside the Super U supermarket in Trèbes.
“When the officer went inside the supermarket, shots were fired. The lieutenant colonel had his phone on, so police could hear his interactions with the gunman, Collomb said. As soon as they heard gunfire, police went in,” reported CNN.
The standoff lasted more than three hours. Lakdim was killed by police and Beltrame died later of stab wounds.
American Military News reported that the 15th district in Marseille is said to have a significant population of jihadists. Just five months prior to Beltrame’s death, two women were killed by an ISIS terrorist in the same area.
“ISIS-linked news outlet, Amaq News Agency, published a statement in which they referred to the terrorist as a ‘soldier’ of ISIS who carried out their attack on a U.S. ally involved in efforts against ISIS in Syria and Iraq,” AMN wrote.
President Emmanuel Macron had high praises for the slain officer.
“Our country has suffered an Islamist terrorist attack. We’ve paid the price of the danger of the terrorist threat in blood for several years,” Macron said, according to CNN.
“The forces of order intervened with remarkable speed, both to contain the individual who hid away with his hostages, to help one of the victims who was still alive who he had left in the surrounding area. He has saved lives, and done his role and his country proud.”
So, what problem could there be in honoring such a brave man?
In March, the people of France were attempting to honor the bravery of Beltrame after his death and preparing for a “day of tribute,” but sentiments soon changed. As officials in Marseille worked to make a memorial to Beltrame, they hit a road block. Political correctness run amok.
“Attempts to name the city’s 15th district after Beltrame were recently rejected over concerns of offending the Muslim community,” AMN reported.
Marseille’s 7th district National Rally mayor Stephane Ravier said the proposal was refused during a town council meeting. Ravier exclaimed that it was the first time the “Leftist elected officials, socialist and communist” refused such an honor in the 15th district. He claimed their excuse for denying Beltrame a place of honor was because they were afraid of offending the Muslim population and possible retaliation for their public praise of Beltrame.
“Leftist elected officials, socialist and communist, refused that a place in the 15th district be named after Arnaud Beltrame, in the first time, they’ve said, under fallacious pretext, that this place wasn’t prestigious enough, before telling the truth in these terms: we are on the field, we witnessed that the population has changed and if we give the name of Arnaud Beltrame in this district, the population will take that as a provocation,” Ravier said, according to Voice of Europe.
Americans should take a swift lesson from this politically correct travesty in France. Such a sad ending to a tragic story for Beltrame, a true hero. He deserves better. And so do the people of France who are living under the threat of terror.
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