More than a million people and dozens of world leaders have marched through the heart of Paris in a show of unity after last week's deadly terror attacks, Radio New Zealand reports.
Chanting & applause in Paris as huge crowds begin unity march against terror attacks http://t.co/VeXcJu1QK6 pic.twitter.com/gC9Ca8HGR0
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) January 11, 2015
“Paris is today the capital of the world. Our entire country will rise up and show its best side,” French president Francois Hollande said.
Families of some of the 17 victims walked at the head of the march. Hollande and heads of state, including the British, German, Turkish,
Jordanian, Israeli and Palestinian leaders, observed a minute's silence and linked arms in an act of solidarity as the march began.
Unprecedented levels of security have been in place and about 2000 police officers and 1350 soldiers - including elite marksmen on rooftops - were deployed to protect participants.
Crowds of up to 1.5 million walked a 3km route from the historic Place de la Republique to Place de la Nation in the east of the capital.
Meanwhile, an Islamic leader in Wellington as urged people to show more respect for Islam in the wake of the attacks in France.
Imam Sheikh Mohammed Zewada was one of almost 100 Muslims, Christians and Jews who joined together in a prayer vigil at the Wellington Islamic Centre in Kilbirnie yesterday.
They heard messages from the co-chairs of the Wellington Council of Christians and Jews, Dave Moskovitz and Reverend Jenny Chalmers, as well as the group's Muslim representative Sultan Eusoff.
“We are gathered here today to show our solidarity as one community against violence and hate,” said Eusoff.
Reverend Chalmers said it was important for the three religions to come together as they believed in the same God of justice and mercy.
“We come together refusing to be defined by people on the edges of our faiths,” she said.
The Kilbirnie mosque's imam, Sheikh Mohammed Zewada, condemned the terror attacks, but called on people to show more respect for Islam.
He said people should stop creating images of the prophet Muhammad, which is disrespectful.
“I totally disagree with what has happened in Paris. [But] freedom of expression does not mean I have the right to abuse other people or ridicule their faith,” he said.
