For Postmedia Canada: The march of the century in Paris
Jan. 12, 2015
PARIS — In France, it was called the march of the century.
When an estimated 1.6 million people decided to step outside their front doors in Paris on Sunday, and heed their president’s appeal to join in a march of solidarity, they helped write history.
The country’s interior ministry called the size of the turnout historic and unprecedented, the largest France has ever known.
Toronto expat Amy Alter was drawn to the streets to walk as a Jewish-Canadian who’s called Paris home for the last 10 years.
In addition to living near the offices of Charlie Hebdo, the 35-year-old lawyer said she entertained the idea that it could have been her, stuck in the Jewish supermarket Hyper Cacher where four hostages were killed Friday.
“At any other time, at any other day, that could have been me ... I felt like I needed to be a part of this,” she said during the march.
About 3.7 million people are said to have taken to the streets across France Sunday afternoon, to pay homage to the 17 victims slain in a terrorist spree which the French media are calling their version of 9/11 — and to send a clear message to the world.
Read more at https://torontosun.com/2015/01/11/the-march-of-the-century-in-paris
