Congresswoman to lead Charlie Hebdo tribute during State of the Union

Rep. Gwen Moore, a Wisconsin Democrat, and other lawmakers will hold up yellow pencils during President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech on Tuesday, to honor the memory of those killed in the attack on satirical French weekly Charlie Hebdo, her office said. Spokesman Eric Harris told Yahoo News that the pencils won’t be sharpened, as a result of a conversation with the House sergeant-at-arms responsible for security at the high-profile event.

“They didn’t specifically stipulate not to sharpen them, but we are certainly aware of certain security concerns,” Harris said by telephone. “We will be sure to keep it a safe, secure environment for the president.”

In a written statement emailed to reporters, Harris said that Moore would raise her pencil during the applause break “to honor those who lost their lives in the pursuit of open ideas and free expression.”

“In the face of the terrorist attack in France, the pencil has become the international symbol in support of free speech. Rather than divide and intimidate us, these brazen and barbaric attacks have united the international community and prompted a global response in defense of the freedom of expression,” Harris said in the statement.

The White House has not specifically said whether Obama plans in his speech to invoke the attack on Charlie Hebdo, which left 12 dead, including two police officers.

The president has faced criticism for not attending a massive demonstration in Paris to show solidarity for those killed and support for freedom of speech. White House press secretary Josh Earnest has called that a mistake, and Obama’s chief of staff, Denis McDonough, took responsibility on Tuesday for the fact that no senior administration figures were present at the event.