On the night of Nov. 13, 2015, terror struck in Paris. Coordinated attacks took place in six locations throughout Paris. The locations include Bataclan Concery Hall, the Stade de France, and at least two restaurants. It was a massacre that left at least 129 people dead, 200 people injured, and 99 in critical condition according to CNN. On Nov. 14, 2015, ISIS (the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) claimed that they were responsible for the terrorist attack. Since then, there have been multiple arrests of the gunmen and authorities are still tracking down one of them. Hollande, the French President, released a statement saying that this terror act is an “act of war.” The tragic event in Paris is the deadliest in Europe since the 2004 Madrid bombings. With France still deeply shaken by the terrorist attacks in January, Paris plunged into mass panic and confusion. While this horrific event was taking place, it seemed like the entire world held its breath together, waiting for our leaders to inform us how the countries will respond to this event, waiting for any news from loved ones, waiting to see who was behind the attack.
President Obama announced in his speech that addressed the attack was that it was “not just on Paris, not just on the people of France, but an attack on all humanity.” Later that evening, the Eiffel Tower’s lights had been turned off in a way to mourn the dead and will stay closed indefinitely. This is when the rest of the world turned on theirs. Many important buildings had made the lights that shined on them turn them blue, white and red. Many people showed support and solidarity for the French people at landmarks across the globe.
Many people took to social media to show their support and help as well. When the attacks were just happening, people on Twitter were using #PorteOuverte to offer shelter to people in the wake of the attacks. Porte Ouverte means “open door” in English. People, French speaking and non-French speaking, would track the hashtag and then DM the user for directions to a safe location until it was secure enough to go outside. Countless people started to use the #PrayForParis and #NotAfraid to show support and defiance against the terror attack. In addition to this, many people were showing their support to Islamic and Muslim people as well, informing people that ISIS is only a small radical fraction of them. Of course, there were some people who chose to blame everyone collectively, but the majority of people showed kindness and were defending them. It was amazing to watch all of this on social media, to see how many people were wanting to help and show their support during this horrific event.
Many world leaders gave their condolences to France in statements that evening. President Obama in his statement about the attacks said, “We stand prepared and ready to provide whatever assistance that the government and people of France need to respond.” This terror attack has showed how the world responds in the face of tragedy and that our hearts beat as one. On Nov. 13, 2015, we stood with the French and showed our support. My thoughts and condolences reach out to all who have been affected. Viva La France.
