"They died so the people of France may be free." France pays tribute to the three police officers who were gunned down during the Paris attacks.
ADVERTISEMENT“They died so the people of France may be free,” said French President François Hollande in a moving speech dedicated to the police officers who were killed in the attacks on Paris.
Franck Brinsolaro, Ahmed Merabet and Clarissa Jean-Philippe, were brutally gunned down in the line of duty.
The ceremony, held at the Paris Police Prefecture, was attended by the families, loved ones and colleagues of the three fallen officers.
All three were posthumously named Knights of the Legion of Honour and awarded the Order of the Nation – a special honour reserved for police officers, military police and firefighters who die in the line of duty.
Hollande praised the courage of officers Brinsolaro, Merabet and Jean-Philippe, recognising the sacrifice they made for the people of France, and their commitment to the French values of freedom, equality and brotherhood.