Off the wire
• Worries about unemployment, corruption fall in Spain while remaining main problems  • European Court of Human Rights to rule on French life support case  • Spanish Interior Ministry to compile passenger database to combat jihadist terrorism  • Malta parliamentary speaker expresses condolences to French counterpart  • UN envoy holds first meeting with key Libyan military leaders  • Greeks stand in solidarity with French people after deadly terrorist attack  • Juncker, Straujuma meet on Latvian presidency of Council of EU  • Spanish stock market rises 2.26 pct, closes at 10,115 points  • U.S., Iran to hold bilateral nuclear meetings in Geneva  • Incumbent Sri Lankan president takes lead in 2015 election  
You are here: 　 Home

Strasbourg mayor deploys additional security measures after Charlie Hebdo attacks

Xinhua, January 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

Following Wednesday's attack in Paris on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, Strasbourg mayor Roland Ries reassured citizens Thursday that appropriate measures were being taken to protect public safety.

"We are in the process of putting security measures in place for our public buildings," Mayor Ries declared during a press conference, revealing that his office was in cooperation with security authorities, including the municipal and national police.

Though no violence related to Wednesday's attack has occurred in Strasbourg, the mayor said he would ensure that the city was prepared for any eventuality.

He explained police would be given the ability to respond quickly and mitigate any danger, "in all the public spaces where there are many people."

While promising vigilance, he clarified that, contrary to the situation in Paris, "We are not yet at the highest level of the Vigipirate plan," referring to the French contingency plan which employs a system of alerts and security procedures when terrorist attacks have been committed or are believed to be imminent.

The mayor took a moment to reflect on the significance of the attack, referring to it as being aimed at certain "shared values" of French citizens, including the freedom of expression and the freedom of the press.

"It is necessary to reaffirm these values we share in common," he said.

He also warned against using the massacre to criticize Muslims, declaring, "This is not an occasion to question the place of Islam in France."

The mayor's comments come as the assailants responsible for the attack are still at large. French authorities are currently in pursuit of two suspects, brothers Said, 34, and Cherif Kouachi, 32, both French citizens.

A second shooting on Thursday morning in the south of Paris has resulted in the death of a municipal policewoman, after she was called to respond to a traffic accident. The incident has not yet been linked to the attack on Charlie Hebdo, however, the use of an automatic weapon has raised suspicion of a link. Endit