Balloons released in memory of Paris terror attack victims

Balloons released in memory of Paris terror attack victims
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By Alasdair Sandford with AFP, AP, Reuters
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Commemorations have been held across sites in the French capital on the anniversary of the city's November attacks.

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A year on to the day, France has been remembering the country’s murderous terror attacks in Paris.

President Hollande and the city’s mayor Anne Hidalgo released 130 balloons – one for each person who died in the atrocities.

As well as the uplifting commemorations, ceremonies were held at each of the venues where the attacks took place.

Two plaques were unveiled at the Bataclan concert hall. The venue suffered the most casualties as three gunmen caused terror – they claimed in the name of Islam.

A first plaque contains the names of the victims. The second was unveiled by two people who both lost their children in the attacks.

The Stade de France to the north of Paris is where it all started. Suicide bombs went off – mercifully outside the stadium rather than inside. A Portuguese man, Manuel Dias, became the night’s first victim.

Ceremonies have also taken place at the series of bars and cafes in the French capital, where gunmen roamed, mowing people down at random.

The Bataclan reopened for music on Saturday night. The thousand tickets to see Sting play sold out in under half and hour; victims’ relatives were among the audience.

Proceeds will go to two charities helping survivors of the attacks.

The former Police frontman opened his performance with a minute’s silence, telling the crowd “we will not forget them”.

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