Europe

France remembers victims of Paris attacks a year on

French president Francois Hollande has opened a national day of commemoration

French president Francois Hollande and Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo arrive to unveil a commemorative plaque next to the “La Belle Equipe” bar and restaurant, in Paris on Sunday during a ceremony held for the victims of last year’s Paris attacks which targeted the Bataclan concert hall as well as a series of bars and killed 130 people. Photograph: Reuters
French president Francois Hollande and Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo arrive to unveil a commemorative plaque next to the “La Belle Equipe” bar and restaurant, in Paris on Sunday during a ceremony held for the victims of last year’s Paris attacks which targeted the Bataclan concert hall as well as a series of bars and killed 130 people. Photograph: Reuters
Sun Nov 13 2016 - 10:54

French president Francois Hollande has opened a national day of commemoration in France, one year after the Paris attacks that killed 130.

Mr Hollande unveiled a plaque covered by a small French flag at the national stadium in memory of the single person killed there, Manuel Dias, and the numerous wounded.

The president remained silent at the ceremony outside the Stade de France and was not expected to speak as he unveils plaques at the seven sites hit by Islamic extremists.

A commemorative plaque unveiled by French president Francois Hollande and Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo is seen next to the “Le Carillon” and “Le Petit Cambodge” bars and restaurants, in Paris, France, on Sunday. Photograph: Reuters
A commemorative plaque unveiled by French president Francois Hollande and Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo is seen next to the “Le Carillon” and “Le Petit Cambodge” bars and restaurants, in Paris, France, on Sunday. Photograph: Reuters

Instead, the victim’s son Michael spoke, saying his Portuguese-born father was “proof that integration is possible, necessary” to fight the stigmatisation that leads some youth into violence.

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It was a reference to the attackers who were European citizens of foreign descent. He said: “Long live tolerance, long live intelligence, long live France.”

Mr Hollande and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo unveiled two plaques at the Bataclan concert hall, the final stop in the anniversary commemoration.

The 90 names of those killed at the Bataclan were read out before a minute of silence was observed.

It came after the dead and injured were honoured at the six other sites attacked by Islamist extremists.

The Bataclan attack was the bloodiest and the longest, beginning at 9.40pm and ending at 12.23am after a group of concertgoers taken hostage were freed.

The youngest and oldest victims of the Paris attacks were a 17-year-old and a 68-year-old, both killed at the Bataclan.

PA