One of the details not widely reported in the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo massacre was that the policeman executed on the sidewalk by one of the terrorists was Ahmed Merabet, a Muslim. Merabet’s religion is important only insofar as it illustrates that the attack wasn’t about Islam, or avenging the Prophet. It was about violent thugs committing mass murder and swaddling it in their bastardized version of Islam in order to justify taking lives, something Islam doesn’t condone.
Merabet was a police officer simply doing his job; the video of his execution is as shocking as it is graphic. No human being should be shot like a wounded animal being put out of its misery…and yet that’s what the gunman did to a fellow Muslim.
As France and the world mourns and attempts to process the horrific events of the past few days, many have taken to social media to recognize and honor Merabet. Some are fellow Muslims, but all are compassionate human beings mourning the craven, senseless murder of another.
Upcoming The New Yorker magazine's cover - in solidarity. #JeSuisCharlie #JeSuisAhmed pic.twitter.com/0xbR81W4nT
— Paul C. Ha (@paulha8) January 9, 2015A proud police officer who prove us that Muslim don't help terrorists and give away his life.R.I.P
#JeSuisAhmed pic.twitter.com/kvPKnFSpWQ
— Nafees Khabir (@NafeesKhabir) January 9, 2015#JeSuisAhmed, a man who died defending the free speech of a magazine that ridiculed his own faith. pic.twitter.com/PN2oQNnRoI
Islam is peace!
— Shumail Sufi (@shumail_z) January 9, 2015Ironically the officer who protected #CharlesHebdo from the assassins was named "Ahmed", another name for Prophet Muhammed. #JeSuisAhmed
— Wren (@WrenDaWise) January 9, 2015He didn't agree with what the magazine said but he defended their right to say it. #JeSuisAhmed
— john robb (@johnrobb77) January 9, 2015Muslim heroes have sacrificed their lives for Europe since #WW1. We will remember them. #JeSuisAhmed pic.twitter.com/z3IhsaFZZI
— Forgotten Heroes (@FHF1419) January 9, 2015"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." Voltaire #JeSuisAhmed
— Adalia Conti (@AJ_Conti) January 8, 2015#JeSuisAhmed, the policeman who died defending a magazine's right to insult his religion and culture
— haroon moghul (@hsmoghul) January 8, 2015RT @mSaleemJaved: Afghan cartoonist, Atiq Shahid, strongly reacts to #JeSuisCharlie massacre. #JeSuisAhmed http://t.co/1OpIxHY7wE
— Waslat Hasrat-Nazimi (@WasHasNaz) January 9, 2015#JeSuisAhmed Reveals the Hero of the Paris Shooting Everyone Needs to Know - Merabet’s sacrifice matters:… http://t.co/YN7EmZd9t6
— The One True b!X (@theonetruebix) January 8, 2015"I decided to start the #jesuisahmed hashtag to remember that a French Muslim was also a victim of the attack" http://t.co/GgnROM8XQa
— BBC Trending (@BBCtrending) January 8, 2015'The right to offend is far more important than any right not to be offended.' — Rowan Atkinson #JeSuisAhmed pic.twitter.com/SUW9x5e6oE
— Jamie Sutherland (@JmieSutherlnd) January 9, 2015From Heroes and Villans. I don't usually swear but yes!#JeSuisCharlie #JeSuisAhmed pic.twitter.com/6cCmKuDhbU
— Pat Riley (@Trishr8) January 7, 2015in 3 pages of coverage, @nytimes didn't find space to mention this dead police officer is Muslim & Arab #JeSuisAhmed pic.twitter.com/47zM4sWAAU
— . (@anuthercountry) January 8, 2015If your religion is worth killing for, please start with yourself. #JeSuisCharlie #JeSuisAhmed #CharlieHebdo pic.twitter.com/7l1uSYEVH4
— katia⭐️✏️ (@LadyRMadrid) January 7, 2015Ahmed Merabet protected people. He was the true face of modern Islam. His murderers were not. #JeSuisAhmed
— Imran Ahmed (@Imi_Ahmed) January 7, 2015#JeSuisAhmed, a Muslim policeman died in the line of duty defending a newspaper despite their insulting cartoons to his faith. #CharlieHebdo
— ريم الحرمي (@Reem_AlHarmi) January 8, 2015If your faith can be shaken by a drawing, then you have none. #JeSuisCharlie #JeSuisAhmed pic.twitter.com/fyBv8gYn4p
— Roozbeh Ahmadi (@AzyRooz) January 8, 2015I'm praying for all of my hijabi and niqabi sisters in France who will face the brunt of the Islamophobic attacks. I love you. #JeSuisAhmed
— Kayla Wheeler (@krw18) January 8, 2015We will not be divided. You will not silence us #JeSuisCharlie #JeSuisAhmed pic.twitter.com/8DsCn2zjjR
— Miriam McCarthy (@MimmsMcC) January 7, 2015Blame people not Islam!!! #JeSuisCharlie #JesuisAhmed pic.twitter.com/jdcxaZfpWl
— samir ben abbes (@samir_benabbes) January 7, 2015French police officer murdered at gunpoint was Ahmed Merabet a Muslim. #JeSuisAhmed
— Sameera Hanif (@SameeraHanif) January 7, 2015The ultimate offendotrom is a cowardly gun toting Islamist terrorist. #JeSuisAhmed
— Steve's Right (@Steve_o_herts) January 7, 2015You don't change the conversation by ending it. Everyone knows that. Restraint. Ahimsa. #JeSuisCharlie #JeSuisAhmed pic.twitter.com/KlJADPVbDh
— Tania Haas (@TurnToTania) January 7, 2015#JeSuisAhmed the man killed protecting the freedom of speech of a magazine that ridiculed his own religion
— 生活 (@fcbxrcelona) January 9, 2015Extreme fundamentalists continue to stain the reputation of the innocent majority #JeSuisAhmed #JeSuisCharlie
— Jonas Wilmink (@jonasglw) January 9, 2015The 3 most scaring, unbelievable and shocking Days of France….
Finally it's over now
#JeSuisCharlie #JeSuisAhmed #france
— Edliralicious (@EdliraAlimi) January 9, 2015#JeSuisAhmed the only proven truth , he was a french Muslim at his service
— Nada Reda (@nadareda) January 9, 2015World mourns murdered Muslim police officer in Charlie Hebdo attack with #JeSuisAhmed http://t.co/MEuT9HxB6V
— andre (@gorianov) January 9, 2015#JeSuisAhmed Reveals the Hero of the Paris Shooting Everyone Needs to Know by @sophie_kleeman http://t.co/Uigmjm2qdP via @MicNews
— Simon (@Smokinghorse) January 9, 2015Islam teaches tolerance, not terrorism #JeSuisAhmed
— Laura Ann Wilkins (@LorWilkins) January 9, 2015
#JeSuisAhmed a MUSLIM who died protecting Charlie Hebdo. He is what Islam is all about, not those terrorists #RespectForMuslims
