Muslims are the main victims of fanaticism, who suffered the most from fundamentalism and intolerance, said French President Francois Hollande in a speech at the Arab World Institute in Paris.
Hollande said that his country respects them and their religion, but will not compromise its commitment to democracy and principle of free speech.
“French Muslims have the same rights as all other French people,” Hollande said. “We have the obligation to protect them. The law must be firmly enforced in places of worship such as churches, mosques, and synagogues.”
The president further said, “Anti-Muslim acts, like anti-Semitism, should not only be denounced, but severely punished.”