BURLINGTON SOUTIENT LA FRANCE...

In a show of solidarity following the shocking terrorist attacks in France this week, the Alliance Française gathered the local community on Church Street in front of City Hall at noon on Saturday.

Members of the Alliance of the Lake Champlain Region, as well as the general community from the greater Burlington area, held signs such as “JE SUIS CHARLIE” and held up a pen or pencil in support of freedom of speech.

“Thank you for taking the time to stand up together for our freedom of expression, to take a stand against violence and to show your solidarity for the 12 journalists and their staff who died, for the hostages killed at the Kosher grocery store, for the police who died trying to save them, to all families affected and to the more than 66 millions French people, and 600 million Americans and Europeans who are wounded by this violence,” said Victoria Brassart-Jones, President of the Alliance Francaise of the Lake Champlain Region.

“May we come together as a community to strengthen our universal family upon the pillars of tolerance, understanding and a willingness to help and heal,” said Brassart-Jones.

The group took a moment of silence in honor of the 17 victims of the attacks.

Local group gathers to support France