Shocked world offers 'solidarite' with France after another massacre

Shocked world offers 'solidarite' with France after another massacre
Social media streamed the tragic news of events in France after Thursday night's attack in Nice, but amid the darkness there were signs of humanity.
3 min read
15 Jul, 2016
Cities across the world have been lighting up the French flag on public buildings [AFP]
As news reports of another massacre in France flooded Twitter early Friday morning, there were more moving messages that highlighted the human cost of the tragedy.

At least 78 people were killed in Nice - a resort town in France's south - when a lorry drove into crowds along the main boulevard on France's most important national holiday.

Men, women and children were killed without discrimination in the attack.

One particularly harrowing image was of a tiny gold shroud on the pavement with a doll lying next to the baby's bodybag.

While medics treated the scores injured, there were those desperate for news about their loved ones.

Pleas went out on social media, with people sharing images of familiy members and friends, asking Twitter users if they had seen them.

"This is my nephew who is on holiday with his mother in Nice and I have no news on them," read one tweet showing a young boy - around 8-years-old - with a beaming smile.

Egyptian Twitter user Revolution 25 January 2011 shared messages from desperate loved ones on his account.

One rare heartwarming story of the evening on his account showed the picture of a baby just a few months old, with a message saying: "This baby was fortunately found safe and sound."

Another widely shared tweet was that taxi drivers in Nice were taking people back home into the arms of their loves ones, for free.

The "Nice Find People" account appeared to have been set up that evening to share people's messages of hope against desperation throughout the evening.

In the early hours of Friday morning they sent out this message to followers: "Thanks to you, your help and genorisity, we have found many people."

Most of the images were of young men and women who had been celebrating with friends and relatives. Many of the names shared were Arabic, showing that the tragedy has hurt people of all religions and ethnicities.

They also sent out this message to those who were yet to hear about their sons and daughters.



Those far away from the tragedy - and with no connection to Nice - tried to contribute by sharing Nice Find People's posts, or messages of support.

The French slogan "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" was widely shared, as were images of hearts wrapped in the French tricolour. 


Even "Harry Potter" offered his solidarity with France from Hogswarts raising a wand of "solidaritie" with the people.