French officials gathered in Paris this weekend to pay respects for the 12 people who died in the Charlie Hebdo attacks nine years ago.
ADVERTISEMENTFrench officials gathered on Sunday to commemorate the ninth anniversary of the attack on the offices of satrical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which killed 12 people.
The ceremony took place at 4 p.m. at 10 Rue Nicolas-Appert in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, where the offices of the magazine were located. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and former President Francois Holland laid wreaths in front of the commemorative plaques, unveiled in 2016.
“In accordance with the wishes of the families, these ceremonies will be marked – as every year – by sobriety, dignity and contemplation,” the Parisian municipality said in a press release.
The President of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, Ministers Éric Dupond-Moretti , Clément Beaune, and Rima Abdul Malak, and President of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France, Yonathan Arfi, were also present.
On 7 January 2015 brothers Said and Cherif Kouachi opened fire in the offices of Charlie Hebdo, killing 12 people and injuring 11 others. Yemen-based al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack. Nine magazine staff, a guard, a police officer, and a visitor died.
After paying respects outside the magazine's offices, the officials went to Boulevard Richard-Lenoir, where the commemoration plaque for police officer Ahmed Merabet stands. Ahmed's sister, Nabiha, participated in the commemoration.