A strong message against terrorism and in favor of democracy, freedom and solidarity was sent to the world from France on Sunday where 3.7 million people and dozens of world leaders gathered, just two days after the terrorist strike that led to 17 deaths.
“I am Charlie, Jewish, a policeman”, “Freedom, Equality, Sketch, Write”, “I am muslim, but not a terrorist”, “Make humor, not war”, “I am the freedom of life”, “I am French and I am not Afraid”, “Ink spills, not blood”, “The Freedom of Speech has no religion” were just some of the banners that the protestors held to honor those killed at the offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo where twelve people were killed, sending the French police on a three-day manhunt.
The unlikely message of friendship was sent by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas who marched together in their closest encounter in years. Another unlikely scene was Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko walking in the same line as Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov despite their political differences. Such unlikely scenes strengthened the global message of peace and unity.
The most tragic figures of the hopeful rally were the relatives of the seventeen victims that held banners with the names of the victims from the futile killings.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, European Commission President Jean-laude Juncker, Prince Abdullah and Princess Rania of Jordan, former French prime minister Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni were all there.
Characteristic was Princess Rania’s tweet: “There is no justification for responding to an offence with murder. Not in the name of religion. Not in the name of Islam.”
U.S. President Barack Obama’s absence did not go unnoticed by the international press.
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras was present stating that Greece is with France in the battle for “democratic ideals”. “France has always been a lighthouse for freedom for the world,” he said.
Greek Radical Coalition of the Left (SYRIZA) party MEPs were present also with Manolis Glezos, George Katrougalos, Kostandina Kuneva and SYRIZA parliamentary group spokesman Panagiotis Kouroumblis.
The presence of Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was particularly controversial on social media that accused him of violating the freedom of speech in his country. In his statements, he said that he would like to see the same reaction in cases where mosques are desecrated or cases where Islamophobia is noted.
When the Danish Prime Minister tripped
