The Quint Exclusive | Paris Diary: A Day After Terror Attacks
Despite empty streets and an air of mourning, Paris stays strong.
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On the first anniversary of Paris terror attack, read this story about the shock and grief that engulfed the city, a day after the strikes.
Paris, 14.11.2015.
A day after the deadly attacks by militants, the city woke up in a state of shock, fear and mourning. In the attacks that happened on Friday, 13th of November, at least 129 innocent people lost their lives and many more were injured. There were six separate coordinated attacks in the city in which cafés were bombed and helpless civilians were shot at with automatic weapons – immediately reminding me of the Mumbai 26/11 terror attacks.
A sombre atmosphere lingered over the city for most of the day. Many of the metro lines were shut and people were reluctant to leave their homes fearing for their safety. President Francois Hollande had declared a state of national emergency in France.
As the day progressed, many people left the safety of their homes to head to the locations where the brutal attacks had happened and pay tribute to friends, family members and fellow citizens who had fallen victim. Metro lines were soon opened and public transport returned to normal.
By the time I got there, Place de la Republique was already packed with people who were laying down flowers and lighting candles to pay respect to the victims. They were putting up posters on the Republique monument that said, “Viva la France” and “Pray for Paris” and “Nous Sommes La Republique, Nous Sommes La Liberte”, which translates to “We are the republic, we are liberty”.
I spoke to a group of Parisians who had come to the Republique monument. They said they had come there to show respect to the deceased and pray for something like this to never happen again.
This scene was repeated across the city wherever the attacks had happened. At the Bataclan Theatre, which witnessed the worst of the attacks, there were droves of people waiting in line to pay their respects. The Bataclan, located in the heart of the city, where more than 100 young men and women attending a music concert lost their lives, is barely a five-minute walk from the Charlie Hebdo office which was attacked in January this year.
Barely had Parisians begun to heal after the Charlie Hebdo violence, that these attacks took place. But the city still stood in strong solidarity with the victims. Taxis were giving free rides to stranded citizens and people had queued up in front of hospitals to donate blood.
In other places, the city remained quiet. Many streets were deserted, an eerie sight given the lively atmosphere of Paris on weekends. Even popular tourist attractions like the cathedral of Notre Dame, the Opera and the Eiffel Tower had very few visitors. As a mark of respect to the dead, the famous lights of the Eiffel Tower were turned off.
There were no traffic snarls on the Avenue de Champs Elysee. Metro stations were deserted and for the first time in the few months I have been here, I rode alone in a metro compartment – at 8 pm on a Saturday evening.
While the mourning in the air remained, the sense of courage was also palpable. The Guardian has described the attacks as a ‘war on happiness’ but through their strength, the people of this city have shown once again that their belief in Liberty, Equality and Fraternity will not be shaken by such acts of mindless terrorism.
(Karan Sarnaik is a photography student based in Paris.)
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