- .British PM Cameron, US Attorney General Eric Holder and French President Francois Holland are taking part
- .Giant letters attached to statue in Place de la République spell 'Pourquoi?' as small groups sing national anthem
- .2,000 police officers and 1,400 soldiers deployed in Paris as officer describes atmosphere as 'extremely tense'
British Prime Minister David Cameron, US Attorney General Eric Holder and French President Francois Hollande were among the leaders taking part.
The politicians stood arm in arm to lead the march, which was preceded by a declaration from Mr Hollande that 'today, Paris is the capital of the world'.
Giant letters attached to a statue in the Place de la République spelt out the word ‘Pourquoi?’ (‘Why?’) and small groups sang the national anthem.
Other noted world leaders in the city included German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko and Italian PM Matteo Renzi.
French President Francois Hollande is surrounded by leaders including Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron (left), Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (fourth right), Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (third right) and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel (right)
Front line: Mr Hollande with (first row, from left) European Commission President European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Mr Netanyahu, Mr Keita, Mrs Merkel, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi as they attend the march
Thousands of people began filled France's Place de la République as world leaders converged on Paris in a rally of defiance and sorrow today
March: Front row from left, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Mr Juncker, Mr Netanyahu, Mr Keita, Mr Hollande, Mrs Merkel, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Mr Abbas and Mr Renzi, and other dignitaries, heads of government and heads of state
Waving their flags: Scenes from Place de la République today as people from around the world converge on the French capital
Starting at 3pm local time: People begin to gather at Place de la République in Paris before the demonstration
Packed Free public transport was arranged to allow hundreds of thousands of mourners to flood into the city to join the march
Joining together: British Prime Minister David Cameron (left) met French President Francois Hollande (right) today at the Elysee Palace, Paris
French President Francois Hollande welcomes Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel as she arrives at the Elysee Palace before the march
Among members of the public at the march was Isabelle Gabarre, who had travelled from her home in Rouen, Normandy, with her daughter Mathilde.
She told MailOnline: 'We are here to support freedom. We cannot be beaten. It is an important word, not only here in France, but around the world.
'We are proud of all the people here today. We want to show the world we are united and we are not scared.'
Decent view: People watch from their roof-top apartment as some thousands of people gather at the Place de la République
An armed policeman on a rooftop in Place de la Nation (left), during a rally in central Paris (right) following the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attacks
Huge number of people: Demonstrators make their way along Boulevard Voltaire in a unity rally in Paris following the recent terrorist attacks
French President Francois Hollande (centre) welcomes the Interior Ministers Jorge Fernandez Diaz of Spain (second left), Bernard Cazeneuve of France (third left), US Attorney General Eric Holder (fourth left), British Home Secretary Teresa May (second right) and European Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs Dimitris Avramopoulos (right) at the Elysee Palace before they participate in the march
A series of huge cards showing the glasses and eyes of Charlie Hebdo editor Stephane Charbonnier was also seen
Holding hands: Family members and relatives of the 17 victims take part in a solidarity march (Marche Republicaine) in the streets of Paris
Demonstrators make their way along Boulevard Voltaire in a unity rally in Paris following the recent terrorist attacks in Paris
People holding signs that read 'Je Suis Charlie' (I am Charlie), and 'I am Jewish' gather along an avenue leading to the Place de la Nation
In the early morning, hundreds of heavily armed policeman stood guard on the city streets as a tense atmosphere prevailed.
Mourners carried signs reading ‘Je Suis Charlie’ in support of those killed by the Kourachi brothers in the Charlie Hebdo massacre on Wednesday.
The city’s Jewish community was to be represented by rabbis and leaders, paying tribute to the four people murdered by Amedy Coulibaly in Porte de Vincennes, eastern Paris, on Friday.
Security services across the world have reportedly received intelligence that more terror attacks are ‘highly likely’, as a ring of steel was placed around the French capital for today’s march.
There are fears that Al Qaeda and Islamic State-linked terror cells will be activated as the city prepares to host the rally this afternoon.
By mid-morning, approximately 2,000 police officers and 1,400 soldiers were deployed across Paris in an atmosphere described by one officer on the scene as ‘extremely tense’.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said ‘exceptional measures’ were being taken to try and prevent further attacks, including deploying snipers on roofs.
Home Secretary Theresa May is among those scheduled to meet Mr Cazeneuve before the march to discuss the threat posed by Islamic militants.
French President Francois Hollande (right) welcomes King Abdullah II of Jordan (centre) and Queen Rania of Jordan (left) at the Elysee Palace
French journalists holding up their press cards take part in a hundreds of thousands of French citizens solidarity march
Involved: Ex-French president Nicolas Sarkozy (left), head of the conservative party UMP, and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy (right)
Banner:Among members of the public at the march was Isabelle Gabarre, who had travelled from Normandy with her daughter Mathilde
Presence: Armed French military on the streets at Place de la Nation in Paris, the end point of the rally route today
Je suis Charlie: People lay flowers and candles at the offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris today after it was attacked by armed men
Tributes: A man places a flower at Place de la République in Paris before the demonstration this morning
Poignant: The phrase 'Je suis Charlie' ('I am Charlie') is spelt out in candles, surrounded by pens and pencils
Paris remembers: Another man at Place de la République before the demonstration, in which one million people are expected to take part
President Hollande will also meet leaders from Paris’s Jewish community, who are still in shock following the atrocity at the kosher grocery store.
The march will take place along two routes and between two major squares, Place de la Republique and Place de la Nation, with snipers on every rooftop.
We are here to support freedom. We cannot be beaten. It is an important word, not only here in France, but around the world
Isabelle Gabarre, march participant
‘Exceptional measures are being taken to ensure security and public safety,’ said a spokesman for Paris city hall, who said some 5,500 members of the security forces would be on the streets in total.
He said entire streets would be kept empty to ensure ‘evacuation’ in case of any problems, and to allow ‘the free movement of police and emergency vehicles’.
Sewers and other ‘hidden spaces’ were also being searched before the rally, which had been due to start at 3pm local time (2pm GMT).
The march eventually started 25 minutes late, at 3.25pm, with Mr Hollande standing alongside Mrs Merkel.
But there were no complaints from the crowd, who had put up with extremely cold January temperatures as they waited patiently.
‘We don’t mind if we stand still the whole time,’ said Luc Dufour, a 26-year-old who had travelled from Lyon for the march.
‘Thousands of us knew we had to be here, simply show how much we object to people killing each other.’
Flying the flag: Sydney Beuvry, 20, from Paris, said: 'I am an artist myself, so freedom of expression is very important to me'
Grettings: French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve (left) welcomes Britain's Interior Minister Theresa May before the start of an international meeting aimed at fighting terrorism in Paris today
Talks: Interior ministers gather this morning at an international meeting aimed at fighting terrorism in Paris
Discussions: Mr Hollande (right) walks with Joel Mergui (centre), president of the French Jewish Consistory, after a meeting with Jewish organizations in France, at the Elysee Palace in Paris today
Je Pense Donc Je Suis Charlie: This banner held aloft in Paris today says 'I think therefore I am Charlie'
In Britian: A demonstrator holds a pen in symbolic support of the Paris victims in a solidarity gathering at London's Trafalgar Square today
Je suis Charlie: This young girl was among thousands of people gathering in Trafalgar Square in a show of solidarity with the march in France
Silent protest: A woman taped her mouth with the word 'Freedom' in front of the Brandenburg Gate near the French embassy in Berlin
Yesterday: Thousands of people attend a demonstration in solidarity with the victims of terrorist attacks in and around Paris linked to Wednesday's attack on Charlie Hebdo at the Old-Port of Marseille yesterday
Elsewhere: Several thousand people walk behind a banner reading 'Live Together Free, Equal, and United' as they march to pay tribute to the victims following the shooting, during a demonstration in Nantes yesterday
Beyond the police marksmen, 150 plainclothes officers will be there to protect VIPs, who will also be assigned 56 specialist police teams trained in diplomatic protection.
Leaders such as Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu will also have their own security teams in place.
Vigipirate, France’s national security alert system, remains at its highest level, as buildings including synagogues and mosques are given particularly protection.
Sydney Beuvry, 20, from Paris, said: 'I am an artist myself, so freedom of expression is very important to me.
'I am pleased to see so many people here today in support of all the victims. The people of Paris stand together against terrorism.'
There was a celebratory atmosphere in the city, as the people put on a show of defiance.
A group of youths scaled the monument in Place de la Republique and led the crowd in a passionate chants of 'Charlie! Liberte!' and 'Vive la France!' in support of freedom as the thousands gathered applauded.
Many countries of the world were represented in the crowd, with flags from Spain, Italy, Germany, Norway, Senegal, Cameroon and Cuba all present.
Vanessa Almedia, 33, said: 'I'm from Brazil, but have lived here for five years. This was not just an attack on France, this was an attack on the world and on freedom.'
The crowd held a spontaneous moment of silence in honour of the victims, before again breaking into applause and chants of 'Long live France!'
Anna Demontis, 25, had 'Je suis Charlie' painted on her face and said: 'I am so pleased to see so many people here today. It makes me proud.
'This is a sign of hope and it shows that the world will not be defeated by terrorism.'
No comments:
Post a Comment