At about 10 a.m. local time (08:00 GMT) on Wednesday, all National Gendarmerie departments, commissariat departments and prefectures across France observed a moment of silence in honor of Beltrame, who was posthumously declared a national hero. Flags at all state institutions have been ordered to be flown at half-mast.
READ MORE: Trebes Crisis: Heroic French Policeman Married His Sweetheart on Deathbed
The national ceremony honoring Beltrame started at 11:30 a.m. local time in the main courtyard of the Invalides monument. Nearly 200 of Beltrame’s colleagues who he had worked with during his career came to pay homage, according to the BFMTV broadcaster.
Hommage #ArnaudBeltrame. 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/h8GX25CJJM
— Kelly Betesh (@K_Betesh) March 28, 2018
Today France honors heroic Col. #ArnaudBeltrame who gave is life to save others.#HommageNational #Paris pic.twitter.com/IH5C5kNL9x
— Tom Antonov (@Tom_Antonov) March 28, 2018
— ᴊᴀᴄᴋ ᴍᴏᴏʀᴇ (@JFXM) March 28, 2018
French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb was one of the officials who came to commemorate the fallen officer. On Friday, Collomb said on Twitter that France would never forget Beltrame’s "heroism, bravery and sacrifice."
Lieutenant-Colonel Arnaud Beltrame who voluntarily took the place of the last hostage during the terrorist attack on #Trebes is dead. #HommageNational for the 3 victims of terrorism pic.twitter.com/lQGXzSKLgA
— christ (@kakichipie) March 28, 2018
French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a speech at the ceremony, hailing the Beltrame's bravery and extending his condolences to the officer’s family.
Arnaud Beltrame, au moment du dernier adieu, je vous apporte la reconnaissance, l’admiration et l’affection de la nation tout entière. Je vous fais Commandeur de la Légion d’Honneur, et je vous nomme Colonel de la Gendarmerie. #HommageNational pic.twitter.com/lOsTyLRyGS
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 28, 2018
An honour to attend the ceremony this morning at Les Invalides in honour of #ArnaudBeltrame #HommageNational pic.twitter.com/vnjKb7cGU2
— Ed Llewellyn (@EdLlewellynFCO) March 28, 2018
On Friday, Redouane Lakdim, a Moroccan national who was living in Carcassonne and reportedly obtained a French citizenship in 2015, hijacked a car — wounding the driver and killing the passenger — to drive to Trebes, where he took people hostage at a local supermarket. Some of the hostages managed to leave the store before a police assault. Beltrame, who had voluntarily exchanged himself for a hostage, was injured in the exchange of fire and later succumbed to his wounds.
