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進入《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 French expats pay tribute to victims of terror attack
By Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter
Hundreds of people showed up for a silent sit-in in Taipei last night organized by a group of French people living in Taiwan “in memory of the victims of the attack on the offices of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in Paris” and to show support for the freedom of expression.
The gathering, titled “Nous sommes Charlie” on Facebook, took place at Liberty Square last night, with people carrying placards reading “Je suis Charlie” and “Nous sommes Charlie” in French and Chinese. First standing and later sitting around an installation carrying a poster reading “我們是Charlie” （“We are Charlie”） and showing the 12 victims, the participants remained silent, some with lit candles.
Pierre-Yves Baubry, one of the initiators of yesterday’s event, said what happened in Paris “has shocked France and the French people living abroad. In many cities around the world people have gathered in the same way as [we are] tonight.”
He said besides the gathering in Taipei, there was also an event taking place simultaneously in Kaohsiung, both organized by French people living in Taiwan with the help of Taiwanese friends.
“There are two main significations; first is to mourn the victims in solidarity with the families, and also to support freedom of speech and freedom of the press” since the terrorist act was obviously targeted at the magazine for what it has expressed, he said.
“I felt the same way as I felt after 9/11,” said Florian, a French citizen who went to the vigil yesterday. “These journalists and cartoonists were part of our life; [the French people] grew up with them, who were not only working for one newspaper, but many.”
“They represent liberty of speech and freedom of what we could say and even think,” he said.
Nicolas, a French expatriate who has been living in Taiwan for more than 10 years, said the rally is to say that “we are not afraid of the [terrorist act]” and that “everybody has stood up against this barbarity and killing.”
“This is the worst [terrorist] attempt in France in the past 50 years. It was a great shock to France and all over the world not only for the attack itself, as 12 people have died, but also because it is a direct attack on the freedom of expression and press,” Bureau Francais de Taipei Director Olivier Richard said.
Worldwide people are demonstrating like people here are today,” he said, adding that the French office also held a minutes’ silence on Thursday morning and has opened a book of condolence.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
