In the rush to condemn the attacks in France and defend journalists’ rights, I believe it is worth pausing to reflect that, in a situation of war, restrictions have to be imposed on people’s freedom of movement and freedom of speech (“careless talk costs lives”) in order to heighten the safety of all.

This principle surely applies no less in the war against terrorism: the voluntary restraint of a cherished right in order to preserve a greater one.

The enemy in this case was known to have been already incensed and had threatened to kill. Although Charlie Hebdo staff members may themselves have been willing to run the risk of dying in defence of their right to freedom of expression, their risk cost the lives of several policemen and other innocent people who had not made that choice and had nothing whatever to do with the magazine. So what about those people’s right to live?

Defiance may seem heroic but the obligation to exercise a given right responsibly is as integral to democracy as the right itself and never more so than when that democracy is under threat.

I imagine the newly-bereaved widows and families would agree.