Protests across France in support of beheaded teacher

Agency. Thousands of people across France have rallied in support of Samuel Patti, a teacher killed by an Islamic extremist.

A Chechen youth beheaded a student on Friday for showing a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed to his students.

In Paris, Samuel Patti was assassinated near a school near Playparis, where people wrote "I am a teacher" in French.

A man named Abdullakh A was shot dead by police shortly afterwards.

Although 11 people have been arrested so far during the investigation of the incident, no information has been given about it.

Four close relatives of the suspects have been arrested immediately after the incident.

Among those arrested on Saturday were a student's father and a missionary identified by French media as "extremist Islamists." President Emmanuel Moncro called the attack "the crossroads of all Islamic terrorist attacks and the killing of teachers because they taught freedom of expression."

French Prime Minister Jean-Castex told people at large rallies across the country that "France is not afraid" and "will not allow itself to be divided".

Affected people have gathered in various cities in support of the country's secular values.

The killings come as a satirical trial is under way in 2015 for an attacker who allegedly published a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed in a satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo.

On Friday afternoon, he arrived at the school where Pati was teaching and asked the students to identify the teachers.

He followed the teacher on his way home. He struck Pati on the head with a knife and beheaded him.