IRELAND and Britain were among the nations which paid tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris over the weekend with marches in Dublin and London.
Shows of solidarity have been on display across both islands in the past week, with marches and memorials held in Glasgow, Manchester and Cardiff and further vigils attended in Galway, Belfast, Cork and other Irish cities.
Yesterday, Taoiseach Enda Kenny joined fellow statesmen and women from across the globe who attended the main demonstration in France.
At the rally of national unity in Paris, he took his place alongside Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other world leaders as they vowed to uphold the principles of free speech and democracy.
“Today we march to show that Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité are written, not alone on the history and monuments of the Fifth Republic but in the hearts and minds of the people of France and our European Union,” the Taoiseach said.
“Voltaire wrote that 'tolerance is the consequence of our humanity' and today we march here in his city to defend that tolerance and humanity against the hatred and extremism that would dismantle and destroy them,” he added.
“In our solidarity we show the agents of such destruction that to us their actions are anathema, their propositions absurd. In the face of terror may our humanity sustain us and renew us. May it be as shattering as our sadness and our silence on this January day.”
Sixty other cities and towns across France also held marches and demonstrations yesterday, while throughout the globe people turned out in their tens of thousands wearing badges that said, “Je suis Charlie”.
Some also carried signs that said “Je suis Ahmed,” a reference to the French Muslim police officer killed, while others carried “Je suis Juif” (I am Jewish) in memory of the Jewish hostages killed.
Charlie Hebdo commemoration in Dublin - (From L to r) Gerry Curran, Cathaoirleach of the NUJ Irish Executive Council, Lord Mayor Christy Burke, Tanaiste and Labour Party Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton and Minister for Justice and Equality, Ms Frances Fitzgerald at the ceremony organised by NUJ for Freedom of the Press in Dublin Castle (Photo: Photocall Ireland)Rallies were also held in Berlin, Washington, Boston, Rome, Brussels and Madrid.
Seventeen victims died in last week’s violence in France, which began with an attack on the office of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Twelve journalists and cartoonists — including the editor — were killed in a gun attack by Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, both from Paris.
The brothers then fled some thirty kilometres to the north east of Paris where they took refuge in the industrial estate of Dammartin-en-Goële, taking one hostage with them.
They were subsequently killed by French security forces marksmen. The hostage was unharmed.
Meanwhile an associate of the Kouachi brothers took hostages at a kosher supermarket, four of whom were killed.
A policeman was also shot dead in a separate, but connected incident.
A total of 17 people were killed at four locations in the terrorist attacks which took place between January 7 and 9, plus the three suspects. At least 21 others were injured, some critically.
