Wednesday - January 07, 2015

Je Suis Charlie

As darkness fell across Europe, tens of thousands took to the streets to show their solidarity with those killed by gunmen at the offices of satirical French weekly Charlie Hebdo.

Many of the protesters, meeting in Paris, Madrid and Berlin, have adopted the slogan ‘Je Suis Charlie’ - I am Charlie - holding up banners and placards printed with the words. Others were seen carrying enlarged versions of the some of the newspaper’s anti-Islamist cartoons.

In London, hundreds of people filled Trafalgar Square at a silent vigil for those killed when masked gunmen stormed the newspaper’s headquarters. Many held pens, pencils and notebooks in the air to show their support for the journalists, cartoonists and police officers who lost their lives.

The gatherings were held as French President Francoise Hollande declared tomorrow a day of national mourning tomorrow in respect for the victims of this morning’s attack.

At the Place de la Republique, in central Paris, less than half a mile from the Charlie Hebdo offices, protesters stood shoulder to shoulder, proudly holding ‘Je Suis Charlie’ signs above their heads. Similar peaceful protests were held in the French cities of Rennes, Nice and Lyon.

In central London, the mood was sombre as a large crowd gathered in front of The National Gallery, to express a mute horror at the events in the French capital. Dozens of French people were among them, along with those of other nationalities who came to show they would not bow to terrorism.

And in a show of support for the European neighbours, Germans gathered outside the French embassies in Berlin and Madrid tonight - signs illuminated by candlelight.

The crowds were gathered in support of 12 people - including four of France’s most revered cartoonists - who were executed by masked attackers, brandishing Kalashnikovs, who burst into the Charlie Hebdo headquarters, opening fire on staff after seeking out journalists by name.

Witnesses said the suspected Al Qaeda gunmen were heard to shout ‘the Prophet has been avenged’ and ‘Allahu akbar!’ – Arabic for ‘God is great’ – as they stalked the building. 

Tonight they will cry. And tomorrow?

French Police Have Identified The Three People Involved

French police have reportedly identified the people involved in the shooting at the headquarters of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday.

[ Breaking - Their names are Said Kouachi, Cherif Kouachi and Hamyd Mourad. See more here. Oh, and FUCK YOU Wolf Blitzer ]

The shooting left 12 people dead including several members of the magazine’s staff. Two gunmen and their driver remain at large.

According to Metro, by Wednesday evening local time French law enforcement was aware of the names and birthdates of the alleged perpetrators. Metro reported one of the suspects is 34 years old, another is 32 years old, and the third is 18 years old.

The two older men are reportedly brothers, French citizens, and residents of Paris. Metro reported the younger man is a student whose nationality is unknown and has no fixed address.

Le Point reported French police were focusing on two suspects whom the magazine described as “French-Algerian." According to Le Point the two men, who were 32 and 34-years old, returned to France from Syria last summer.

According to Le Point, in 2008, one of these men was tied to an Iraqi network in Paris that allegedly encouraged young men to join militants in Iraq. The magazine reported he was also arrested in 2005 as he attempted to travel to Damascus. In addition to the two men, Le Point said police were looking for a suspect who was born in 1996 and has no fixed address.

At least 20,000 people also gathered in the French cities of Lyon and Toulouse, police said, after 12 people were killed by heavily armed gunmen screaming “Allahu akbar” (God is greatest).

Demonstrators wore black stickers marked “Je suis Charlie” (I am Charlie),a slogan aimed at showing solidarity with the victims of the deadliest attack in France in decades.

Others waved banners with slogans such as “Press freedom has no price” and “Charb mort libre” (Charb died free), a reference to the newspaper’s slain editor-in-chief Stephane Charbonnier.

Charbonnier was one of four cartoonists killed in the attack that also left 11 people injured.

“It’s terrible that these people were murdered. In future, no-one will be able to speak his mind. We have to demonstrate in our thousands,” said Beatrice Cano, a demonstrator in her fifties, who was carrying the latest issue of Charlie Hebdo.

“These people are not religious, they are monsters”

A student named Marie, who is at the protest at Place de la Republique tonight told The Local why she decided she had to attend the spontaneous rally in support of the victims of the Charlie Hebdo shooting.

“We have to show people we are not afraid. We have to defend freedom of speech. We should be able to say what we want.

“We must not attack Muslims because of this. The people behind this attack are not religious. They are monsters.”

Well, sounds like I have my answer. It’s going to be a long, long road.

Alice Blanc, 19, a law and development student studying in London but originally from Paris, held up a quote often attributed to Voltaire, saying: ‘I do no agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to death your right to say it.’

She said: ‘I don’t think a country like France today should have a problem with freedom of speech.

‘No matter what a journalist or magazine has to say, even if it is not what the majority of people think, they still have the right to say it without feeling in danger, which is the case today.’

Esther Benjoar, 25, a Parisian who has lived in London for the last two years, said: ‘It is people like you and I who went to work today who got killed for their passion, their job.

‘It is the right that the French republic gave them to say what they want to say, and they got killed because of that. They didn’t do anything wrong and I think it is time for France to fight against terrorism.’

After more than half an hour of quiet vigil, a woman’s French voice pierced the silence. She shouted: ‘Freedom of the press! Freedom of speech!’

But there is always a ray of hope.

Posted by Drew458     on 01/07/2015 at 04:34 PM   
Filed Under: • FRANCE • RoPMA • War On Terror •  
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