- Huge crowds in Paris for unity march after three days of terror left 17 people dead
- 40 world leaders including UK PM Cameron and German Chancellor Merkel attending
- Rally held after attacks at Charlie Hebdo magazine and kosher supermarket
- Supermarket gunman Ahmedy Coulibaly apparently seen in video
- France on high alert as security stepped up at synagogues and Jewish institutions
- All times in GMT
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Live Reporting
By Michael Hirst, Keith Moore, Alix Kroeger and Kerry Alexandra
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has strongly criticised the participationof leaders of countries where freedom of expression is restricted.
In a statement, it says it is “appalled by the presence of leaders from countries where journalists and bloggers are systematically persecuted such as Egypt (which is ranked 159th out of 180 countries in RWB’s press freedom index), Russia (148th), Turkey (154th) and United Arab Emirates (118th).”
Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Christophe Deloire said, “We must not let predators of press freedom spit on the graves of Charlie Hebdo.”
Kato ZlatoPosted at
tweets: Four hours of walking and standing in a crowd, we finally made it…to the place where the rally started at 15h #UnityRally
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Lydia Vassallo, marching in Paris, tells the BBC: “We cannot sit at home and do nothing. I’ve been here since 2pm and plan to stay until the end.
“I am here because I don’t believe that people who are doing their job should get killed in the way that they did and to support France and the people living here.
“I hope this rally will bring hope to people and comfort to the families of the those killed and show the world we need to stay united against this crime.”
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Tighter controls on internet use are likely in the wake of the attacks. European, US and Canadian foreign ministers met ahead of the rally and issued a joint statement.
They say it is essential for major internet providers to co-operate with governments and, if asked, remove online content “that aims to incite hatred and terror”.
They also want greater monitoring of the EU’s external borders, and are calling for changes to rules on freedom of movement to share information and carry out checks on passengers.
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Silvia Costeloe, BBC News
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tweets from central London: CharlieHebdo memorial in Trafalgar square #JeSuisCharlie #JeSuisAhmed
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This is the scene on the Boulevard Voltaire as darkness begins to fall on Paris: thousands are making their way to the end point of the demonstration, in the Place de la Nation.
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Luci Bonnor, BBC News, Paris
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Police vans arrive in Place de la Republique and are applauded. I have never seen this before at a march or demonstration.
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Author Stephen Marche
@StephenMarche
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tweets: Most French thing ever to happen? “I’m marching but I’m conscious of the confusion and hypocrisy of the situation.”
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UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis
@chiefrabbi
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tweets this picture of himself during the rally, with the text: “Marching together in #france united in support of freedom and democracy and in defiance of terror.”
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Thousands attended a demonstration in the French port city of Marseille, a stronghold of the anti-immigration Front National party.
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This woman was one of thousands who displayed the slogan “Je suis Charlie” during the rally.
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As darkness descends on Paris, demonstrators continue to inch towards the Place de la Nation in good spirits and in huge numbers.
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Malcolm Senior, BBC News, Paris
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says the crowds are thinning out at the Place de la Republique, and it is now much easier to cross the square.
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Tower Bridge was among the landmarks in London that were lit to show solidarity with the people of Paris
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Sunday’s march was “unprecedented” in scale, the French interior ministry has told AFP news agency, making it impossible to count the numbers taking part.
“Demonstrators dispersed around a much wider perimeter than originally predicted,” the ministry is quoted as saying.
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Reporters Without Borders
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blog: On what grounds are representatives of regimes that are predators of press freedom coming to Paris to pay tribute to Charlie Hebdo, a publication that has always defended the most radical concept of freedom of expression?
Massive crowds have turned out in Paris and in other cities across France for unity marches after three days of terror that shook the capital.
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Organisers of the “Unity March” in the capital say between 1.3 and 1.5 million have turned out. That would be a record for this kind of event in modern French history.
Around 40 world leaders are arriving in Paris to join the show of force which is expected to dwarf similar rallies on Saturday in France and across the globe.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron are in attendance. Cameron has said that the jihadist threat will be “with us for many years to come”. British intelligence service MI5 warned Europe that Islamist militants were planning attacks in the West and added that three terror plots have been foiled on British soil in recent weeks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu joined the line up of world leaders to honour the victims of the attacks, reminding French Jews that Israel would be happy to welcome them as immigrants saying “Israel is also your home” after the attacks appeared to target the Jewish community.
One notable absence among the leaders is American President Barack Obama. The US has sent Attorney General Eric Holder.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said “Europe will win the battle against terrorism.” In more controversial comments the Spanish Interior Minister was quoted as saying that Europe may need to rethink it’s Schengen border-free zone in order to fight the threat of Islamist militants.
The leaders have held a minute’s silence.
Security tight
France remains on high alert as reports emerge that sleeper cells have been activated.
In Paris, more than 2000 police and 1000 security forces have been deployed along the march routes, including snipers. They will be placed along the march routes starting in Place de la Republique and ending at Place de la Nation.
A tribute to the victims
The Paris march will be led by the families of the victims of the attacks.
They arrived at the march via Boulevard Voltaire, the French writer who coined the motto which has been taken up by the #JeSuisCharlie movement, “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.”
In all 17 people were killed in separate incidents which began with the attack on the French satirical newspaperCharlie Hebdo on Wednesday.
Three gunmen were killed by police.
In a touching tribute one young girl at the Paris march held aloft a sign saying, “When I grow up I want to be a journalist, I’m not afraid.”
Others left flowers in memory of the policeman shot dead on Wednesday.
A country united
Rallies in other cities have attracted huge crowds.
In numbers
- Paris 1.5 million – 2 million
- Lyon between 150,000 and 200,000
- Bordeaux at least 100,000
- Rennes at least 100,000
- Grenoble 70,000
- Clermont-Ferrand 50,000
- Tours 35,000
- Vienne around 12,000
One person in Lyon tweets that the crowd is respectful, serene and determined.
Another person taking part in the Lyon march tweets that it’s something they’ve never seen before, saying it’s an “intense moment”.
Today Paris is the capital of the world
Ahead of the rally the French President said that today Paris is the capital of the world. Scenes of streets packed with people holding similar marches across the globe appear to confirm his rhetoric.
Stockholm
AFP in Stockholm tweets that around 2,000 have braved the icy weather to show their support for France.
Brussels
AFP newsagency quotes a police source saying 10,000 people have already gathered for the “march against hate”.
European Commissioners tweet their presence at the Brussels rally. The EU will be holding a special summit on January 12 on counter terrorism measures.
EU blogger Andy Carling tweets that the town of famous cartoon Tintin, Brussels has turned out for #JeSuisCharlie.
London
Brits have gathered in London’s Trafalgar Square.
Edinburgh
Dublin
Athens
Prague
Malta
Beirut
Mumbai
Nigeria
