TORONTO – A French flag flew over Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square Saturday as hundreds gathered for a solemn vigil to honour the victims of Friday’s terror attacks in Paris.
Mayor John Tory joined French Consul General Marc Trouyet for a short ceremony and a moment of silence for the 129 people killed in gun and bomb attacks in the French capital.
WATCH: ‘Paris is a part of us, we are a part of them’: John Tory speaks at vigil for victims of Paris attacks
“We feel this tragedy very intensely and it affects us very deeply,” Tory said. “Our hearts and our prayers go out to the victims to those who died, to those who are wounded, their loved ones and to all of the people or Paris and citizens of France. You are family, and we feel your pain across the oceans.”
Trouyet thanked Toronto for “standing with all the French people.”
“I’ve been seeing and witnessing the colour of the French flag in the Toronto area, in the CN Tower yesterday. This is dear to our heart to see that we are all standing united facing the barbaric events.”
Tory said it’s “incomprehensible” that Toronto observed a similar vigil less than a year ago, after the Charlie Hebdo massacre, when two gunmen killed 11 staffers in the office of the controversial French magazine last January.
Tory emphasized that the attacks aren’t representative of any ethnic group or religion as a whole, and encouraged people not to “succumb to that kind of hatred.”
“These are not the rational acts of people who are connected to any faith or value system or nationality,” he said. “These are the acts of evil people whose only mission is to sow destruction and hatred.”
Mayor John Tory calls France ‘family,’ says Toronto feels their pain following deadly attacks
After a moment of silence, some in the crowd began a spontaneous rendition of the French national anthem.
Vigils are planned for cities across the country Saturday, including events in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Halifax.
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