Paris kosher market reopens 2 months after deadly terror attack

PARIS, March 16 (UPI) -- The kosher supermarket in Paris that was attacked in January by a man claiming allegiance to the Islamic State has reopened.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve attended Sunday's reopening and was its first customer. "I came here to say the French Republic is doing everything so that all French people are protected from the threat of terrorism and so that we can live in our country freely."

The Hyper Cacher in Porte de la Vincennes had been closed since it was attacked Jan. 9 by Islamic State sympathizer Amedy Coulibaly, who killed four people inside the shop.

"We wanted to reopen quickly and to show we are not defeated and not afraid," said owner Laurent Mimoun. "It was important for the victims' relatives and the people in the neighborhood."

One employee, Yohan Cohen, 22, was among those killed. His father, Eric Cohen, said "the reopening is a strong signal that life goes on, we must not give up."

None of the employees who were working at Hyper Cacher that day have returned. Mimoun said they are still on leave.

A small crowd gathered Sunday to make their purchases and to show support. "Being here now is an act of conscience," said shopper Annie Boukobza. "We have to show the world we are here."

The attack on the Hyper Cacher came days after a deadly assault on the office of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Three days of violence in and around Paris left 17 people dead, including the three gunmen who all expressed support for Islamic extremism, and prompted the deployment of about 120,000 security forces inside France.