My dear friend Dr; Patrick Pelloux - A&E doctor and Charlie Hebdo Officiel was not at the Charlie editorial meeting yesterday but by chance was at another meeting next door. He was amongst the first emergency people to arrive at the scene. Here he is on Ii-télé this morning understandably totally distraught. He is courageous to come on in this state. But he wanted to tell. Ive translated his interview from about 1 minute in - after the journalists introduction. Here it is: Journalist - Introduction... Patrick: “They were extraordinary men and women. They shot up people who were holding an editorial meeting against racism. It was the wednesday morning meeting. I was at a meeting at the firemen’s union. We wanted to improve the cooperation between the fire brigade and the ambulance service. I was at Rue Briguet, 200 meters from Charlie. At about 11h30 Jean-Luc the graphist called me saying “Come quick - We need you”. I thought he was joking. I’d said I would pass at midday to wish them Happy New Year because I hadn’t seen them all. I left immediately and my fireman and ambulance collegues with me. I brought Colonel Tourtier — The head doctor of the Paris fire brigade. We arrived there first. It was horrible. A lot of them were already gone because they had been finished off - executed. And we managed to save the others who in principle are ok this morning. And I came to tell you that the magazine will continue. Because they haven’t won and Charb, Cabu, Wolinski, Bernard Maris, Honoré, Elsa, Tinius, Mustapha. The guard that was shot - who was in charge of our protection. That they did not die for nothing. There must be no hatred against muslims. And everyone, each of us, daily, must live the values of the republic. Journalist: It was your friends - And I imagine the sorrow you must have. Did the Charlie team live under this menace all the time? Patrick: On Monday evening I dined with Charb and Luz to celebrate the new year. Charb was a bit fed up with his protection. But he protected me a lot. From the risks. He never wanted to tell me that in all the fundamentalist meetings around the world Charlie Hebdo came up again and again. We were the enemies with paper and pencil. Journalist: There was a Fatwa against Charb. Patrick: There was a Fatwa against Charb. Journalist: After you arrived there - after doing your work as a doctor. Patrick: I let them go. Journalist: No you saved some of them - You know that… You had a reflex. You called the president. Patrick: The president wanted to see us when he knew the paper was in difficulty. So we went to see him. The President said the press must stay in circulation. He wanted to change the law so that daily papers survived. He said France had to have satirical press. He was very aware. and Cabus and Bernard Maris liked the president. And everyone at Charlie love the Republic. So we called all the emergency services. And I didn’t know what and so I called him and they passed him to me and he said “I’m coming”. He had the courage to come. That doesn’t change much but… But you know they were great men. People so generous. Disrespectful of course. Some people were furious. Some people fixed on the cartoons. But all this time they were great humanists. Journalist: Did they go down fighting? Patrick: I’m sure Charb got up and called them idiots. I’m sure he did that. Journalist: You say the magazine must continue. Patrick: It’s going to be difficult. Journalist: But you saw all the press is mobilised - Last night there were hundreds of thousands of people in the streets. There be more in the coming days. Patrick: But it’s good. Because. They are defending themselves. It’s not just a magazine. Don’t forget the policemen that were slaughtered. The deliveryman. The others - Excuse me - I don’t know all their names. But they were slaughtered too. We mustn’t give in. Journalist: Who did that do you think? Patrick: I don’t know - Madmen - And it’s an insult to madmen to call them that. Journalist: You say that Charlie lived with this threat permanently. How was that? Was it something that hung over you? Abstract? Patrick: Charb was under protection. They were competent. His guards were always very vigilant. We mustn’t… Excuse me. Journalist: Patrick Pelloux. You lived daily with this pain daily as an A&E doctor. I see you are broken by this. I wanted to ask you. What is your role in the next few days, weeks? Patrick: I don’t know. I’ve lost my family. I don’t know anymore. Thank you. Journalist: You who love politics. Who liked to shout at the politicians - What must the politicians do? What do you expect of them? Patrick: They must do their jobs and we find ways to combat these people. Fight them to protect our country. Journalist: And how do we combat fundamentalism. Patrick: I don’t know how. I don’t know anymore. Journalist: I just wanted to say all of Itele are shocked. Thank you for having the force to come here today. Patrick: They liked you a lot - That’s it.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (No comments on the quality of the translation please).
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 16:06:10 +0000
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