French visitors thank Derry for show of solidarity
Two French men visiting Derry this week signed the book of condolence for the victims of the Paris terrorist attacks in the Guildhall and thanked Derry for showing solidarity.
The book was opened week to remember the innocent people who tragically lost their lives in last Friday’s attacks by Islamic State suicide bombers and gunmen in the French capital..
. It is a gesture of support, which allows people from Derry, as well as visitors, to show their respects to the dead and offer words of encouragement to everyone affected.
A member of Council staff at the Guildhall said many of those leaving messages of condolence had done so in French as a show of solidarity.
Tavares Michael and Anthony Pfeifer (pictured) from Clermont Ferrand, France, were among those leaving heartfelt messages.
They were visiting the city as part of a two week mini-tour of Ireland.
Both men were visibly saddened and still trying to absorb the scale of the attack on their homeland.
Tavares said: “It was very difficult when I heard the news.
“The first thing we did was to call my friends and family to make sure they were safe and secure, and I was thankful that they were.
“It is a very difficult time for the victims and their families. We know that it could have been any of us, our friends, our families.”
Anthony said: “I was shocked and saddened when I heard the news.
“We have family and friends who are living in Paris and the first thing we wanted to do was make sure that they were safe.
“We heard about the book being here and wanted to come along to leave a message and thank the people of Derry for their support also.”
Tavares said he simply wanted to thank those who had “wweeped for the people of Paris’ and said he ‘weeps each day he thinks about them.”
His close friend Anthony said he wanted to thank people “for their help’ and said he ‘hoped Paris would recover along with the rest of France.”
Over 100 people attended a vigil in Guildhall Square to remember the victims and the 50 people killed in an Islamic State bomb attack in Beirut last Thursday.