Huge crowds gathered in Paris in a show of support for the staff of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. The weekly paper was attacked by three heavily armed gunmen on Wednesday in the worst terror attack Paris has seen in decades. Ten journalists as well as two police officers lost their lives in the assault.
Demonstrators in Paris were seen holding up pens as a symbol of support for the slain journalists.
Charlie Hebdo has been targeted in the past for its cartoons satirizing religious extremism. In 2011, a firebomb attack destroyed the offices of the paper, and its staff has received repeated death threats over depictions of the Prophet Muhammad.
Rallies in support of Charlie Hebdo were planned in major cities across France.
In a statement posted to Facebook, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced that a silent solidarity march will be held on Thursday in the center of Paris.
Here are photos of the rallies in solidarity with Charlie Hebdo.
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.
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.
People gather in front of the city hall of Rennes, western France, on January 7, 2015, following an attack by unknown gunmen on the offices of the satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo.
Het blad Charlie Hebdo mee als protest, op de Place de la Republique pic.twitter.com/OO6yS7EsMB
— mattijs van de wiel (@mattijsvdwiel) January 7, 2015
Déjà beaucoup de monde… #CharlieHebdo pic.twitter.com/uQvHBQxyZj
— Kévin Robin (@kevinrobin971) January 7, 2015
