French President Macron decries ‘Islamist terrorist attack’ against teacher, urges nation to unite

PARIS, France — French President Emmanuel Macron denounced what he called an “Islamist terrorist attack” against a history teacher beheaded in a Paris suburb Friday, urging the nation to stand united against extremism.

Macron visited the school where the teacher worked in the town of Conflans-Saint-Honorine and met with staff after the slaying.

Macron said the teacher was killed because he taught “freedom of expression, the freedom to believe or not believe.”

He said the attack shouldn’t divide France because that’s what the extremists want.

The teacher had discussed caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad with his class, authorities said.

The suspected attacker was shot to death by police after Friday’s beheading.