Police across the UK are to hold ceremonies remembering the two French police officers murdered in the terrorist attack on the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris.
Ahmed Merabet, 42, and Franck Brinsolaro, 49, were among 12 people killed by gunmen on Wednesday.
The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the Police Federation has called on all UK officers to commemorate the dead officers at 10.30am, 24 hours after the attack – the worst in France for half a century.
Scotland Yard amd West Midlands police said they will hold a two-minute silence.
ACPO’s vice-president, Sir Peter Fahy, said the two officers were murdered protecting free speech. “All members of the British police forces are shocked at the savagery of this attack,” he said. “In any democratic society it is the role of the police to protect basic human rights and our two French colleagues died protecting free speech.
“They knew the risks they were facing in carrying out their duty and clearly showed great bravery in trying to prevent the terrorists murdering others. We stand in solidarity and express our great sympathy for their families and friends.
“We have to stand together against this threat and we cannot be naive or complacent about how extremist ideologies seek to justify this complete disrespect for human life and for the values which ensure the freedom and welfare of all citizens.”
Merabet was working with a bicycle unit at the local police station who was on patrol when he was killed by two of the gunmen as they left the building. In a video which has now been removed from the internet, one of the attackers can be seen shooting Merabet in the head at close range as the officer lies wounded on the ground. Merabet leaves behind a partner, according to the police union.
Brinsolaro was the police bodyguard of Charlie Hebdo’s editor, Stéphane Charbonnier. The officer, who had worked for the police protection service since 2013, was in the editorial room where the attack took place. A police union spokesman said the number of death threats against Charbonnier had increased in recent days.
Fahy said that the attack would only make British police officers more determined to face up to the threat posed by extremists and called on the public to continue to cooperate and support its officers.
