'Terrorism has no place in Europe': Emmanuel Macron condemns attack in Vienna

Emmanuel Macron has made his position clear: "terrorism has no place in Europe."

The French president led an international commendation of the Vienna terrorist attack on Monday night, making it clear that neither France nor Austria—nor any other European country would give in to terror. Macron has repeatedly affirmed that the liberties of French citizens will not be curbed to meet the demands of terror.

"This is our Europe," Macron said. "Our enemies must know who they're dealing with. We will concede nothing."

In what the Austrian government has called "an act of Islamic terror," at least two gunmen opened fire in Vienna, leaving four people dead and fifteen more hospitalized. Seven of those remain in life-threatening condition.

Macron expressed his sympathy for the victims of the attack and emphasized a need for Europeans to face the dangers of terror together—in solidarity against acts of violence.

"Europe stands together, united and determined. We are one," Macron said.

France has also had its share of terror in the past month.

After a schoolteacher in Paris was beheaded for displaying cartoon of the prophet Mohammad in class less than two weeks ago, Macron told audiences that France would not change its stance.

Free speech is a liberty. Terrorism is a crime.

"I will never accept that someone can justify the use of physical violence because of these cartoons," Macron said.

A deadly knife attack carried out by a 21-year old Islamic nationalist last month in Nice, France left three dead. A Pakistani Refugee, Ali Hassan, attacked and seriously injured two people with a meat cleaver on Oct. 8.

Although Macron says he understands that continuing to allow free speech and a freedom of expression will invite aggression from Islamic extremists, he is unwilling to change his stance on an opposition to terror.

The President has cited a need for a higher level of integration between Islamic ideology and European, Western culture if a peaceable future is to be maintained. As the The Atlantic put it, Macron wants to go from “Islam in France to an Islam of France." Anwar Gargash, the United Arab Emeries Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, agrees with Macron.

"[Muslims] have to listen carefully to what Macron said in his speech; he doesn't want to isolate Muslims in the West, and he is totally right,"

But continued attacks like the ones in France and Vienna only heighten public fear may make that reality harder. According to Le Point, 43 percent of the population in France considers Islam incompatible with French values. And according to Macron, French values are not up for grabs.