French nationals and Australian supporters gather at the Martin Place vigil. Photo by Ra’Eesah Lillah.
Hundreds of French nationals joined Australian supporters in Martin Place tonight for a vigil to mourn those killed in the Paris terror attacks.
Event organiser Martine Baboin told the crowd, huddled closely together under umbrellas and French flags: “It is important for us to be together, to cry together and hopefully sing a few songs together.”
New South Wales Premier Mike Baird and his wife Kerryn joined French consular officials, expatriate French citizens and Sydneysiders at the vigil, held not far from the Lindt Cafe, scene of an extremist attack just under one year ago. People of all ages consoled one another as they held hands and mourned the loss of strangers. A few minutes’ silence was observed for the Paris victims at 7pm.
On Sydney Harbour the Opera House was lit up in red, white and blue, joining other iconic buildings around the world to be illuminated in solidarity with France.
The Newsroom attended the vigil.
Earlier today, six attacks by Islamic extremists across Paris killed more than 120 people and left many others wounded.
The French President, Francois Hollande, said the Islamic State group was responsible for the attacks and denounced their actions as an act of war.
Mr Hollande has declared three days of national mourning. – Produced and presented by Ra’Eesah Lillah
About the author
