Je suis Charlie: vigil for terror attack victims at Vancouver Art Gallery tonight
“Even far from France, we are united.” This is the message organizers of tonight’s Vancouver silent vigil are hoping to send for those killed in Wednesday’s terrorist attacks at the Paris offices of French magazine Charlie Hebdo.
“Our thoughts are going to the victims of this terrible attack,” Pierre Touzel, Elected Consular councillor towards the French General Consulate, told Vancity Buzz. “Even far from home, we French citizens living in Vancouver are deeply affected by this act of terror.”
Gunmen carrying automatic rifles stormed into the publication’s daily editorial meeting and killed eleven people including three renowned cartoonists, one editor and his police bodyguard.
Another police officer was killed outside the building while responding to the attack, with video footage on YouTube showing the injured officer lying on the sidewalk shot point-blank in the head. Eleven people were also severely injured in the shootings.
A nationwide manhunt is underway in France after the suspects fled the scene by vehicle. French president Francois Hollande and the leaders of other nations have condemned the attack as an assault on freedom of speech and democracy.
“Living here in Canada shows us a different way to live together beyond our diverse background,” Touzel added. “It shows us that dialogue and peace can bring communities together. We as citizen living abroad have also a message of peace and dialogue to share with our fellow citizen living in France.”
Tonight’s silent vigil will be held on the Robson Street side of the Vancouver Art Gallery. It is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to bring pens as a symbol of freedom of the press.
Vancouver Silent Vigil for Paris Terrorist Attack
Date: Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Robson Street side of the Vancouver Art Gallery (750 Hornby Street, Vancouver)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/778889218858859/779041728843608
Photos of the silent vigil in Paris
The pen is mightier than the sword. Paris is exploding with support for #CharlieHebdo RIP x pic.twitter.com/LEiDRHvKNf
— Teacake Design (@teacakedesign) January 7, 2015
Definitively, not Obama’s pen: MT @GoSruthi People silently hold up pens in protest #Paris pic.twitter.com/Bug69jhCmM
— Carmen G Pastor (@cgpb) January 7, 2015
A man with a pen. Paris. A few hours ago. pic.twitter.com/MMR3mggzIE
— Drew (@DrewJPS) January 7, 2015
#Paris residents raising a pen in protest against #ParisShooting #CharlieHebdo pic.twitter.com/CJTn7ikcPU
— LUTYENS Editor (@confess2gaurav) January 7, 2015
Countering terror with the pen: People holding pens in silence as a symbol #Paris #CharlieHebdo pic.twitter.com/6K3e9yx5pp via @AnaisBordages
— Maheen Usmani (@MaheenUsmani) January 7, 2015
The pen is mightier than the sword. Paris is exploding with support for #CharlieHebdo RIP x pic.twitter.com/LEiDRHvKNf
— Teacake Design (@teacakedesign) January 7, 2015
#CharlieHebdo is a “symbol of free speech,” Former @lemondefr Executive Editor tells me: http://t.co/6NGJNtqK7J pic.twitter.com/Paw8TEJYii
— Christiane Amanpour (@camanpour) January 7, 2015
What the attack on Charlie Hebdo means for freedom of the press: http://t.co/2EBPSGQnQG pic.twitter.com/JcsE735QWD
— AOL.com (@AOL) January 7, 2015
Candles raised, heads bowed: The world stands with Paris after #CharlieHebdo attack http://t.co/tuqejZHwgS pic.twitter.com/uYqMzeICvj
— Mashable (@mashable) January 7, 2015
PHOTOS: Europeans gather across the continent in memory of slain cartoonists http://t.co/uiOqkxEjS9 #JeSuisCharlie pic.twitter.com/LuHlsglJq0
— Yahoo Canada News (@YahooCanadaNews) January 7, 2015
Parisians hold vigil for dead in Charlie Hebdo attack: http://t.co/knv2XsvD75 (Photo by Thibault Camus @AP_Images) pic.twitter.com/TzKSM41HpT
— TIME LightBox (@timepictures) January 7, 2015
Thousands gather for massive Paris demonstration after #CharlieHebdo attack http://t.co/hBHFsiKUdd pic.twitter.com/PGzIFcaJLU
— Variety (@Variety) January 7, 2015
Feature Image: Charlie Hebdo