France's Emmanuel Macron To Muslims: 'I Hear Your Anger, But Won't Accept Violence'

French President Emmanuel Macron said that he understood the feeling of Muslims offended by the caricatures of Prophet Muhammad, but he won't accept violence.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Macron said: "I understand the sentiments being expressed and I respect them. But you must understand my role right now, it¡¯s to do two things: to promote calm and also to protect these rights. I will always defend in my country the freedom to speak, to write, to think, to draw.¡±

Reuters

He added that he would continue to fight "radical Islam."

Macron slammed, "a confusion that has been fed by many media -- and sometimes political and religious leaders -- which is to say that these caricatures are in a way the project or the creation of the French government or the president".

Also read: A Timeline Of Events That Have Taken Place After The Teacher's Beheading In France

AFP

He also denounced calls for a boycott of French goods as "unworthy" and "unacceptable", saying the campaign was created by some private groups "who relied on lies... sometimes from other leaders" about the caricatures published in the Charlie Hebdo weekly.

There have been attacks in France with links to the Charlie Hebdo cartoons.

Two days ago, an attacker armed with a knife beheaded one person and killed two others at a church in the French city of Nice.