

We have received many inquiries from the US about whether we were OK after the recent terrorist attacks in Paris. We are fine, but we’ve spent the past few days riveted to the news, learning about Muslims in France, and then Sunday marching in Paris’s huge march against terror.
Brenda and I were both at the gym watching on French TV when the initial attack was reported on Wednesday. TV reports were vague about the location, and since they were in French, we didn’t pick up all the details. We had no reason to believe we were in any danger. I noticed when I went to the post office that I could no longer put my letter in their outside letter box. Only later we learned that our apartment was less than a mile south of the Charlie Hebdo office where people from the magazine staff and a policeman were assassinated. Charlie Hebdo is a satirical comic weekly magazine that frequently contains offensive cartoons. The magazine’s targets include (but are not limited to) Islam and the Middle East. Hebdo is slang for the French word that means weekly – hebdomadaire – so the name is something like Charlie’s weekly. The night of the attacks we walked near the crime scene en route to a vigil at Place de la République, where over 15,000 people rallied in support of Charlie Hebdo and freedom of the press.
Here’s a short video of the Wednesday night vigil – rally for support of Charlie Hebdo:
Here is a summary of what happened with the terrorists: From news reports there were at least 4 people involved in the terrorist activity (plus one who turned himself in). Two were brothers, Chérif Kouachi and Said Kouachi (both French citizens from the Paris suburbs) who carried out the attack on Charlie Hebdo. One or perhaps both of the brothers reportedly received training from Al-Queda in Yemen. The other two suspects were a man, Amedy Coulibaly (cell mate in prison with Chérif Kouachi) and his girl friend, Hayat Boumediene. Coulibaly reportedly had ties to the Islamic State. They all knew each other and had been involved with others who supported the terrorist activities in the Middle East. Amedy Coulibaly reportedly killed a police officer in the south of Paris the next day, Thursday. Police are not sure whether Hayat Boumediene was involved in any of the activity. After fleeing north of Paris towards the Belgian border, the Kouachi brothers ran out of gas, stole another vehicle, and drove back towards Paris on Friday. Police tried to capture them on the highway, shots were exchanged, and eventually the brothers were cornered, surrounded, and later killed in a warehouse north of Paris near Charles de Gaulle airport. On Friday morning Amedy Coulibaly took some 15 people hostage at a kosher grocery store in Porte de Vincennes. He killed 4 people when he entered the store. After a long standoff, he finally succumbed to a fusillade from the police. The Jewish community in Paris has viewed Coulibaly’s attack on the store as an act of anti-semitism. They are quite fearful that there could be other similar attacks. News reports said that Coulibaly was trying to use his hostages to negotiate the release of the Kouachi brothers. Hayat Boumediene reportedly fled to Turkey, and possibly continued to Syria before any of the attacks. Police continue to investigate.
During the crisis we were wondering with each passing siren what might be happening next. Armed police were everywhere, but life on the streets was pretty normal. We went to the food market for groceries, and all the normal vendors were there. Our tutor came to our apartment for our French lesson. Stores were open, and Brenda went shopping in the Marais – a traditional Jewish neighborhood. We’re not familiar with the area outside Paris near Charles de Gaulle Airport where the two brothers were killed by the police, but we are very familiar with the neighborhood of the kosher grocery store in Porte de Vincennes. It is 5 miles from our apartment.
When we first came to Paris we lived in the town of Vincennes just outside the city. We used to walk east through Porte de Vincennes along the main road into Paris to go to Place de la Nation. We purchased our first roasted chicken at a butcher shop in Porte de Vincennes one night on our way home from there. We were so happy to have met a French woman in line who helped us buy a chicken! This is a good neighborhood. A French friend who lives about 500 meters from the deli posted messages on Friday morning that she had been told by the police to stay inside her apartment. It was eerie for her to watch on TV all the details at the deli just a short distance away. Our hairdresser in nearby Vincennes told us that the Police closed down all the Jewish owned businesses along her street (and presumably elsewhere in town) and told her she should close but it was her choice. She chose to remain open because her customers with appointments still showed up.
After the terrorist activity had ceased, the President of France, François Holland, called for a march in Paris to support freedom of the press and to honor all the victims of the attack. He invited all Parisians to participate, as well as leaders from other countries. On Sunday more than 1.5 million people marched in Paris from Place de la République to Place de la Nation. More than 30 world leaders participated, though we noticed that the President and other senior officials from the US stayed away. Considering the occasion that seemed odd. We did our best to represent the country, about 100,000 rows back from the heads of state. News reporters have described it as one of the most significant events (and largest crowds) here since the World War II parades following the liberation of Paris.
You can get an idea of what the march was like from this video of three short clips, first of people spontaneously singing La Marseillaise, then panning around the crowd as we stood at the beginning, and then marching along the route:
When we arrived at Place de la République, the weather was in the low ’40s and somewhat windy. We stood perhaps 100 yards from the bronze statue in the center of the square. The sculpture represents suffrage in France, and below it are figures representing the motto of the French Republic, “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity”. Thus Place de la République was a fitting location to begin the march.
It went through my mind that a bomb or a shooter could have wreaked havoc with so many people jammed together. Fortunately nothing untoward happened, though ambulances parted the crowd a few times en route to help people in distress.



It was exhilarating to chant, “Charlie, Charlie”, “Liberté-Expression”, sing the French National anthem, read banners and be enveloped in the immense crowd. We shuffled for 5 hours through Place de la Republique and along the 3 kilometer route to Place de la Nation. Early on it rained softly. For a few moments a rainbow shimmered above the bronze statue in the center of the square. As darkness descended we applauded the police and gendarmes guarding side streets along Boulevard Voltaire, chanting “Merci de la Police”.
In the dark at Place de la Nation at about 7 pm, a huge crowd remained, still congregating to watch the TV reporters, hear the messages from special groups, chant some more of the slogans about Charlie Hebdo and freedom of the press, and sing La Marseillaise. Tired and a little cold, we headed out on the commuter train to meet our friends for dinner. Still, we wouldn’t trade that experience for anything.
Click on this link to see a slide show of photos along the route.
Thank you, Hugh and Brenda, for this generous sharing of your very personal experience of these events, which have had the attention of the world for this long stretch of days. I am profoundly grateful that you are safe, and appreciative that are who you are. Though Paris is full of precious humanity, the fact that you, my treasured friends, have been there in the midst of these happenings has further heightened my awareness of the crisis state we are experiencing in our world at this time… broken my heart open to deeper prayer for us all… lifted my head in a quickened remembering of the worth of one… and in a felt experience of the global coming-together in communities, to mourn the losses (of so much, for so long), and to spontaniously, passionately long for new ways for us all to become a working family on this planet we share. I trust there is much power in this… So grateful for your part, dear Brenda and Hugh. XO, Jill
Merci Jill for the heartfelt message.
Great article in May 24, 2015 NY Times about some places in Paris you might want to try…………. Hope all is well. Have you moved there permanently yet.
Wini Jones
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/05/20/travel/frugal-traveler-in-paris.html?_r=0
Wini,
Actually we’ve been back in the states selling our Poulsbo home. We now have a sale and are in the process of getting rid of all our stuff for a return to Paris in early July. We will have to find a new residence and are now in the process of deciding whether to rent or buy. People ask if we’re moving there permanently, but all I can say is that we’re moving back for now – it’s a pretty fantastic place to live. Thanks for the NY Times article reference – we know the areas they are talking about but don’t hang out at the $1000/day places. There are plenty of wonderful things to do in Paris for less. Hope you are doing well – let us know if you’re coming to Paris!
Wow!
What really struck me was the serendipity of it all. The sight of the hostages being rescued from the little grocery, a grocery just like thousands in Europe, that anyone tourist or local would visit.
On a more pedestrian note, with that many people out in the streets and boulevards for such a long time how did they handle sanitation?
Take care,
Jim
Jim, That’s an excellent question. To the best of my knowledge, there were no preparations. This whole event was planned in 36 hours, so other than police security (I think there were a couple thousand police assigned to the event), much of what happened was spontaneous. Toilets are few and far between in Paris and people plan accordingly. We left the house knowing we’d be out there in the cold for a long time. My guess is that the cafes and restaurants in the vicinity were doing a brisk business with those in need of a toilet. (or as so often happens, there were good preparations and I just wasn’t aware)
You two are now a part of French history!
Freedoms not Free! Its interesting to know that the United States, got the Statue of Liberty from France. Thanks for sharing , Sonny
Sonny, Thanks for thinking of us. There’s much more behind the story of the Statue of Liberty – not so simple as a generous gift from the French. One man’s ambitious effort to build the world’s tallest statue. A new book, Liberty’s Torch by Elizabeth Mitchell discusses. Despite the story, it has become one of our most famous monuments and a gift from France.
You honor us all as American citizens by your participation in, and reporting of, these events. Jill Harris, above, expressed the thoughts and feelings of many of us, I’m sure — count me in that. We are most thankful that you two are safe, and grateful to you for your sharing so thoroughly with us. Remain safe, and we hope to see you back in Poulsbo soon.
What an unforgettable experience for you. The eyes of the world are watching Paris. It is shocking to see innocent lives lost to these monsters. One never knows when tragedy will hit. Just so relieved to know that you are safe. The first thing I thought of, when I saw the news, was your safety. Thank you for sharing your experience. What a feeling it must be to be part of thousands of people singing for a Free Democracy!!! Powerful stuff.
Thanx again for your wonder post!! Stay safe.
Thanx again for your WONDERFUL post!!!!
Thank you Dianna! We’ll keep following this story.
Hugh and Brenda — this was passed along to me from friends. Thank you so much! for your pictures and transcript of what happened that horrible day. I have been to Paris 5 times; think I was reincarnated from the left bank! I envy your living there. thanks again and God bless
Thank you Sharon – we’ll try to find some happier stories for this blog.
Hugh & Brenda . . . . Thanks so much for your Wonderful Post!! Glad to know you guys are unharmed. I absolutely LOVE your ongoing posts of your Paris and Travel encounters.
Be SAFE!
Richard
Thank you both of you for this wonderful blog and electronic age diary so the rest of us can keep track not only of your adventures but world events of import!
Good coverage of another sad event in the history of humanity; or is it lack of humanity?
Allez, tous les Charlies du Monde!