Parisian: Solidarity has overwhelmed the city
The freedom of speech has suffered a major blow in France, freelance journalist Andrei Vaitovich reports.
08.01.2015 - 18:08
Paris inhabitant Andrei Vaitovich has described the situation in the French capital after the murder of journalists and policemen.
Vaitovich: “I have just reached Place de la République by metro. People looked very sad, did not talk to one another and even turned away from street musicians.
There are from 50 to 100 people in the square now. Many of them are journalists. Nothing special is happening. People keep coming to express solidarity and lit candles, they are bringing flowers too.”
Parisians do not seem to be treating local Muslims worse, Vaitovich said. They are cautious when speaking about any religion. Everyone understands that terrorists are to blame for the shooting in the first place.
The French are trying to support one another during the mourning, Andrei said.
Vaitovich: “The city is overwhelmed with solidarity. People are uniting – about 40 thousand people gathered in Place de la République yesterday. People will start bringing more flowers after work today. However, people are not calm because the suspects have not been caught so far. People are worried about their relatives and the future of the press. Every journalist will think thrice before writing something now. It is very tragic for France, a country where the freedom of speech is valued a lot.”
Photo: newsru.co.il
