World leaders march: 'Paris is the capital of the world'
The leaders were accompanied by victims' families
Dozens of world leaders linked arms and marched through the streets of Paris as part of rallies to honour 17 victims of three days of terrorist attacks.
In Paris, the solidarity march attracted up to two million while similar events were held in cities throughout France and elsewhere in Europe.
Families of the victims, many weeping and embracing, were also at the front of the march along with French President Francois Hollande, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron.
“Charlie! Charlie!” chanted the vast crowd, in honour of the cartoonists and journalists killed at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo over its lampooning of the Prophet Mohammed.
The leaders observed a minute’s silence as the march got under way. They then walked in silence but received huge applause from bystanders and participants.
“Paris is the capital of the world today,” said President Hollande. “Our entire country will rise up toward something better.”
Mr Cameron said: “We in Britain face a very similar threat, a threat of fanatical extremism. It’s a threat that has been with us for many years and I believe will be with us for many more years to come."
Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi vowed Europe would “win the challenge against terrorism.”
The three days of terror began last Wednesday when brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi stormed the newsroom of Charlie Hebdo, killing 12 people.
On Thursday, police said an associate of the Kouachis, Amedy Coulibaly, killed a policewoman on the outskirts of Paris.
On Friday, while the Kouachi brothers were holed up in a printing plant near Charles de Gaulle airport, Coulibaly seized hostages inside a kosher market.
It all ended at dusk with near-simultaneous raids at the printing plant and the market that left all three gunmen dead. Four hostages at the market were also killed.
Nevil Gibson
Mon, 12 Jan 2015
Mon, 12 Jan 2015
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World leaders march: 'Paris is the capital of the world'
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