Vigils Held Around Europe In Solidarity With Victims Of Charlie Hebdo Attack In Paris | HuffPost

Pens Held Aloft In Solidarity With Charlie Hebdo Journalists

Paul Vale— The Huffington Post UK

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More than 15,000 students, journalists and sympathisers congregated in the Place de la Republique in Paris on Wednesday evening, many holding up pens in solidarity with the writers and cartoonists slain in the newspaper attack. Similar gatherings were held in Toulouse and Lyon, while in London hundreds assembled in Trafalgar Square for a silent vigil. Demonstrations were also held in Germany and Spain.

Three gunmen targeted the newspaper’s headquarters on Wednesday, killing 12, including 10 journalists. The gunmen, who were filmed fleeing the scene, remain at large, though a huge manhunt is underway by French authorities. World leaders were quick to condemn the attack, while badges proclaiming "Je suis Charlie" were posted online and across social media.

Witnesses at the magazine headquarters described a scene of carnage, with bullet holes and smashed windows. Survivor and Charlie Hebdo cartoonist Corinne "Coco" Rey was quoted by French newspaper L'Humanite as saying: "I had gone to collect my daughter from day care and as I arrived in front of the door of the paper's building two hooded and armed men threatened us. They wanted to go inside, to go upstairs. I entered the code. They fired on Wolinski, Cabu ... it lasted five minutes ... I sheltered under a desk... They spoke perfect French... claimed to be from al Qaida."

Gilles Boulanger, who works in the same building, likened the scene to a war zone. "A neighbour called to warn me that there were armed men in the building and that we had to shut all the doors," he said. "And several minutes later there were several shots heard in the building from automatic weapons firing in all directions. So then we looked out of the window and saw the shooting was on Boulevard Richard-Lenoir, with the police. It was really upsetting. You'd think it was a war zone."

Paris rally for Charlie Hebdo shootings

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People gather at the Place de la Republique (Republic square) in Paris, on January 7, 2015, following an attack by unknown gunmen on the offices of the satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo. France's Muslim leadership sharply condemned the shooting at the Paris satirical weekly that left at least 12 people dead as a 'barbaric' attack and an assault on press freedom and democracy. (credit:DOMINIQUE FAGET via Getty Images)

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Journalism students hold a banner reading in French: 'Journalism students : Solidarity' as they raise pens during a gathering at the Place de la Republique (Republic square) in Paris, on January 7, 2015, following an attack by unknown gunmen on the offices of the satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo. (credit:DOMINIQUE FAGET via Getty Images)

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People gather at the Place de la Republique (Republic square) in Paris, on January 7, 2015, following an attack by unknown gunmen on the offices of the satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo. France's Muslim leadership sharply condemned the shooting at the Paris satirical weekly that left at least 12 people dead as a 'barbaric' attack and an assault on press freedom and democracy. (credit:DOMINIQUE FAGET via Getty Images)

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People like candles during a rally in support of the victims of the attack by gunmen at French satyrical newspaper Charlie Hebdo at the Place de la Republique in Paris, on January 7, 2015. (credit:MARTIN BUREAU via Getty Images)

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People hold up placards reading in French, 'I am Charlie' during a gathering at the Place de la Republique (Republic square) in Paris, on January 7, 2015, following an attack by unknown gunmen on the offices of the satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo. (credit:MARTIN BUREAU via Getty Images)

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People hold up pens and placards reading in French, 'I am Charlie' during a gathering at the Place de la Republique (Republic square) in Paris, on January 7, 2015, following an attack by unknown gunmen on the offices of the satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo. (credit:MARTIN BUREAU via Getty Images)

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People take part in a rally to show their solidarity with the victims of the today's terrorist attack on French satyrical newspaper Charlie Hebdo at the Place de la Republique in Paris, on January 7, 2015. (credit:MARTIN BUREAU via Getty Images)

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People light candles during a rally to show their solidarity with the victims of the today's terrorist attack on French satyrical newspaper Charlie Hebdo at the Place de la Republique in Paris, on January 7, 2015. (credit:MARTIN BUREAU via Getty Images)

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People take part in a rally to show their solidarity with the victims of the today's terrorist attack on French satyrical newspaper Charlie Hebdo at the Place de la Republique in Paris, on January 7, 2015. (credit:MARTIN BUREAU via Getty Images)

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People take part in a rally to show their solidarity with the victims of the today's terrorist attack on French satyrical newspaper Charlie Hebdo at the Place de la Republique in Paris, on January 7, 2015. (credit:MARTIN BUREAU via Getty Images)

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A man holds a placard reading : 'Freedom of the press is priceless, fundamentalism, of any kind, will not pass' as others hold up pens and placards reading in French, 'I am Charlie' during a gathering at the Place de la Republique (Republic square) in Paris, on January 7, 2015, following an attack by unknown gunmen on the offices of the satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo. (credit:MARTIN BUREAU via Getty Images)

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A man raises a pen during a rally in support of the victims of today's terrorist attack on French satyrical newspaper Charlie Hebdo at the Place de la Republique in Paris, on January 7, 2015. (credit:MARTIN BUREAU via Getty Images)

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A man holds wearing a sticker reading in French, 'I am Charlie', holds a candle during a gathering at the Place de la Republique (Republic square) in Paris, on January 7, 2015, following an attack by unknown gunmen on the offices of the satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo. (credit:MARTIN BUREAU via Getty Images)

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A man holds wearing a sticker reading in French, 'I am Charlie', holds a candle during a gathering at the Place de la Republique (Republic square) in Paris, on January 7, 2015, following an attack by unknown gunmen on the offices of the satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo. (credit:MARTIN BUREAU via Getty Images)

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A man takes part in a rally in support of the victims of today's terrorist attack on French satyrical newspaper Charlie Hebdo at the Place de la Republique in Paris, on January 7, 2015. (credit:DOMINIQUE FAGET via Getty Images)

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A man holds a placard reading 'Why' during a rally in support of the victims of today's terrorist attack on French satyrical newspaper Charlie Hebdo at the Place de la Republique in Paris, on January 7, 2015. (credit:DOMINIQUE FAGET via Getty Images)

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People hold front pages of newspaper Charlie Hebdo while taking part in a rally to show their solidarity with the victims of the today's terrorist attack on the French satyrical newspaper at the Place de la Republique in Paris, on January 7, 2015. (credit:MARTIN BUREAU via Getty Images)

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People take part in a rally in support of the victims of today's terrorist attack on French satyrical newspaper Charlie Hebdo at the Place de la Republique in Paris, on January 7, 2015. (credit:DOMINIQUE FAGET via Getty Images)

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A woman holds up the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo during a gathering at the Place de la Republique (Republic square) in Paris, on January 7, 2015, following an attack by unknown gunmen on the offices of the satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo. (credit:DOMINIQUE FAGET via Getty Images)

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Journalists raise their press cards as others hold up pens during a gathering at the Place de la Republique (Republic square) in Paris, on January 7, 2015, following an attack by unknown gunmen on the offices of the satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo. (credit:MARTIN BUREAU via Getty Images)

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A man holds a placard reading 'freedom of expression' during a rally in support of the victims of today's terrorist attack on French satyrical newspaper Charlie Hebdo at the Place de la Republique in Paris, on January 7, 2015. (credit:MARTIN BUREAU via Getty Images)

SEE ALSO:
Cartoonists React With Pen And Paper
Vigils Held Around Europe In Solidarity
Charlie Hebdo Attackers Identified By French Police
Trafalgar Square Vigil Held
FT Journalist Waves The White Flag
World Leaders React To Paris Massacre
Paris Shooting Leaves At Least 12 Dead
Charlie Hebdo Poked Fun At Popes And Presidents Too
Footage Captures Paris Gunmen Murdering Policeman
'Je Suis Charlie' Trends After Brutal Magazine Shooting
Charlie Hebdo Attack: World Leaders React To Paris Massacre

Paris gun attack

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