France is honoring the 130 people who died in the November 13 attacks in Paris. At a ceremony to honor the victims, President Francois Hollande promised France would do everything it can to destroy IS.
Advertisement
Paris remembers
Les Invalides, the 17th century complex that houses Napoleon's tomb, was chosen for a ceremony to honor the 130 victims of the recent terror attacks. More than 1,000 guests, including the victims' families, attended.
Image: Reuters/P. Wojazer
A solemn ceremony
President Francois Hollande as well as former president Nicolas Sarkozy and other high-ranking politicians as well as members of the military and the victims' families listened as the names of the 130 victims were being read out.
Image: Reuters/P. Wojazer
'We will destroy IS'
In his speech at Les Invalides, President Francois Hollande said France would "do everything it can to destroy the army of fanatics that committed this crime...," referring to the "Islamic State," (IS) which claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Image: Reuters/P. Wojazer
Les Invalides
The ceremony was held at Les Invalides, the 17th century complex that is most famous for housing Napoleon's tomb and a military museum. It's the first time the venue has been used to honor civil victims.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Medina
Hundreds still injured
The November 13 attacks killed 130 people and wounded a further 350, some of which also attended the ceremony at Les Invalides. Some had to be brought in on stretchers and in wheelchairs.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/M. Medina
Flying the Tricolore
In the run-up to the ceremony, Hollande had asked the French people to display the French flag, the Tricolore, on houses, stalls and other buildings. This picture shows a building near the Invalides, where Friday's ceremony took place.
Image: Reuters/J. Naegelen
Draped in 'bleu blanc et rouge'
This man is decked out in several French flags, standing at the central Place de la Republique on the eve of Friday's ceremony. It's not clear whether he is selling the flags, giving them away or whether he simply took the president's message very seriously.
Image: Reuters/J. Naegelen
'Singing more songs'
President Hollande assured the world that France will respond to the attacks by "singing more songs and keeping on going to concerts and stadiums." France, he promised would "stay the same."
Image: Reuters/P. Wojazer
Solemn but determined
President Hollande appeared solemn but determined throughout the ceremony. The French president says France would not give in to "fear or hate" after the attacks. Since the attacks two weeks ago, he has been meeting world leaders to drum up support for an anti-"IS" alliance.
Image: Reuters/C. Platiau
8 images1 | 8
Families of those killed in France's worst-ever terror attack, claimed by the "Islamic State" ("IS") group, have joined some of the wounded at the ceremony. In total, more than 1,000 guests are invited.
The ceremony began in the courtyard of Les Invalides, the 17th century building that houses a military museum and Napoleon's tomb. It is the first time civilian victims have been honored at the complex, which is normally reserved for the honoring of members of the armed forces
A giant screen displaying photos of the victims of the attacks on November 13. The names of all the victims were then read out loud, followed by a minute's silence.
In his subsequent speech Hollande promised "solemnly that France will put everything it has into destroying the army of fanatics that has committed this crime..."
He also stressed that "France will stay the way it is, just like those we've lost would have liked, just like they would have wanted it to stay."
In the run up to the commemoration, Hollande called on the French to hang out the nation's flag. "Every French citizen can take part [in the tribute] by taking the opportunity to deck their home with a blue, white and red flag, the colors of France," government spokesman Stephane Le Foll quoted Hollande as saying.
But some victims' families said they will snub the event, accusing the government of failing to tighten security after terror attacks in January, when jihadist gunmen killed 17 people in Paris, mainly at the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine.
On the night of November 13, Islamist terrorists killed 130 people during attacks at the Stade de France sports stadium, the Bataclan concert venue and several cafes and restaurants in Paris.