France honors victims of Paris attacks

Paris has many expansive public gathering places, but Les Invalides is a collection of museums and monuments to centuries of French military might.

He said the attackers acted “in the name of an insane cause and a betrayed God” and promised that France would do everything possible to destroy the army of fanatics who committed the crimes.

The night of November 13, three teams of suicide bombers and gunmen struck across Paris, beginning at the national stadium – where President Francois Hollande was among the spectators – and ending in the storming of the Bataclan concert venue. After the music, pictures of the victims, the majority of whom were under 25, were shown on a giant screen as their names and ages were announced.

And in response to the extremists who targeted people sitting at cafes, attending a rock concert and a football match, he pledged there would be more songs, concerts and shows, and vowed that the French people would keep going to sports stadiums. Islamic State later said it was behind the assault. Most victims were under 35.

“It’s because they represented life that they were killed, it’s because they represented France that they were slaughtered, it’s because they represented freedom that they were massacred”, he said.

“It’s part of French culture to demonstrate, and I think it would give us a sense of cohesion after these attacks”, Gaspar said, adding, “I’m anxious these measures will divide us exactly when we need to be united”.

French President Francois Hollande will preside over Friday’s ceremony, which will include the government, top lawmakers, the Paris mayor and former President Nicolas Sarkozy as well as far right leader Marine Le Pen.

“So no thank you Mr President, politicians, your tribute we do not want”, wrote Provost.

Blue, white and red shirts, the colours of the French flag, are seen on the facade of a building in Paris, France, November 27, 2015.

Families of the victims and wounded survivors arriving in wheelchairs joined the national ceremony, sending a message of “love of life” in the face of “the cult of death”. Given the absolute urgency of addressing the global climate crisis, the letter sent to Hollande suggests the stakes are simply too high to submit political space during these crucial worldwide talks. He said on Thursday that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to coordinate air strikes against the group.

The future role of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, however, remained a deeply divisive issue.

“France still a place of tolerance”, concluded Hollande.

Hollande has been backed by Germany, which has offered Tornado reconnaissance jets, a naval frigate, and 650 soldiers to relieve French forces in Mali.

There was a day of mourning in France Friday, two weeks after terror attacks killed 130 in Paris.