“They died so the people of France may be free,” said French President François Hollande in a moving speech dedicated to the police officers who were killed in the attacks on Paris.<br /><br /> Franck Brinsolaro, Ahmed Merabet and Clarissa Jean-Philippe, were brutally gunned down in the line of duty.<br /><br /> The ceremony, held at the Paris Police Prefecture, was attended by the families, loved ones and colleagues of the three fallen officers.<br /><br /> All three were posthumously named Knights of the Legion of Honour and awarded the Order of the Nation – a special honour reserved for police officers, military police and firefighters who die in the line of duty. <br /><br /> Hollande praised the courage of officers Brinsolaro, Merabet and Jean-Philippe, recognising the sacrifice they made for the people of France, and their commitment to the French values of freedom, equality and brotherhood.
