French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne is among those to have paid homage to the victims of the terrorist attacks of November 13, seven years after 130 died and 350 were injured.
A minute of silence was observed today, November 13, 2022, on the site of the attacks in Paris and Saint-Denis on November 13, 2015. The names of the dead were read out, and wreaths were laid.
The locations were Le Stade de France, terraces of the restaurants le Carillon, le Petit Cambodge, La Bonne Bière, le Comptoir Voltaire, and la Belle Équipe; and the concert venue of the Bataclan.
Ms Borne was joined by Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, and the presidents of the victim associations, Arthur Dénouveaux of Life for Paris, and Philippe Duperron of 13onze15.
Mr Dénouveaux, who himself escaped from the Bataclan, told FranceInfo that the memorials were important because “there is less media interest and probably less political interest” seven years on and that “while that’s good, because it forces us to move on to other things, it’s also about not forgetting”.
He said: “We have accepted this forced marriage with terrorism. We are not happy to be here, but once we are here, we find ourselves among people who know each other, and we have things to share. Life goes on. It’s bittersweet.”
François Hollande, who was president at the time of the attacks, wrote on Twitter: “I am thinking today of all the victims of the attacks that hit our country on November 13, 2015. To all these ruined lives. To all those who live every day with the absence of a loved one.
"To all survivors. Time does not erase either memory or pain.”
Je pense aujourd’hui à toutes les victimes des attentats qui ont frappé notre pays le 13 novembre 2015. À toutes ces vies fauchées. À tous ceux qui vivent chaque jour avec l’absence d’un être aimé. À tous les survivants. Le temps n’efface ni le souvenir, ni la douleur.
— François Hollande (@fhollande) November 13, 2022
President Emmanuel Macron retweeted a memorial cartoon reading: “Let us not forget, Nov 13, 2015”.
#13Novembre2015 pic.twitter.com/AIS69ZZzRr
— Life for Paris (@lifeforparis) November 13, 2022
Representatives from the so-called Islamic State organisation claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Read more: British man to testify at trial of Bataclan Paris terrorist attacks
The memorials come after the historic trial of the perpetrators ended on June 29. The court in Paris condemned Salah Abdeslam (the only perpetrator still thought to be alive) to life in prison. The other 19 accused, of which six (and five assumed dead) were tried in their absence, were sentenced to prison terms of two years to life.
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