LONDON, Nov 16 – The strong chilly wind seems to echo the spirit of unity of more than one thousand people gathered in a candlelight vigil which held at Trafalgar Square, here on Saturday night. The voices of people chanting in French and singing the French National anthem passionately can be heard as one walks pass the National Gallery, lifting up the spirit to stand together with them honouring those who were slaughtered in the attacks in Paris on Friday night.
“Vive La France (Long Live France)”, “nous ne sommes peur (We are not afraid)” and “we are still here” were among the words chanted and written on placards held by the participants at the square during the vigil. It was a moving and heartfelt event with people holding their candles high up or turning on the LED on their mobiles and waving the French National flag. One can feel the unity and love surrounding the square.
In the meantime, for Laura Ricaud, 23, a French national who living in London, although the year 2015 had seen France being constantly under threats and attack by terrorists, the French nationals were still standing up together and trying to face these issues calmly.
“We are still standing up even though we are not in our country. We are standing up against that (terrorist attacks) violence. It’s the right thing for us to do. Not to go to the extreme like what the terrorists are. We are totally not like them,” she said here on Saturday.
According to The Guardian, a British national daily newspaper, the candlelight vigil was organised by two London-based Frenchmen, Theophile Rampal and Jean-Dominique Nguele. The vigil was gradually dispersed at 10pm. At least 120 people were killed in what was described as coordinated attacks in Paris on Friday night night, prompting French President Francois Hollande to tighten border security across the country.
