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Photos: Crowd Gathers At Los Feliz French Cafe In Solidarity With Charlie Hebdo
Over a hundred people gathered outside French bistro Figaro in Los Feliz last night to show support for the 12 victims who were brutally murdered on Wednesday at France's Charlie Hebdo office. This was one of the many vigils that took place around the world last night, including New York.
Crowds held up signs and their phones, which lit up with the message, "Je Suis Charlie" (I am Charlie) along Vermont Avenue. The solidarity movement was first started by a group of French students from a Redondo Beach language school, but grew as the night went on, reported CBS Los Angeles.
Police officers, editors and cartoonists who were at Charlie Hedbo, a French satirical newspaper, were shot and killed by at least three masked men with automatic weapons. The terrorist attack may have been in retaliation against the newspaper for their comics that ridiculed the Prophet Mohammad. One of the gunmen has reportedly turned himself in, while authorities are still searching for two other suspects.
Gaston (who only went by his first name), a member of the French community, told VICE why he was at the vigil in Los Feliz: "I heard that a lot of French people were gonna be here, so I just came to support the families over in France. I want to see my country come together, and I don't want them to mistake Muslim people for terrorist people. Muslim people make their own stuff, and it's really good. I don't want French people to think the shooters are just Muslim."
Here are some photos from last night's vigil outside of Figaro:
More from Figaro Cafe on Los Feliz. #JeSuisCharlie crowd now filling sidewalk and spilling into street. @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/Vr1rZOXveI
— Juan Fernandez (@NewsJuan) January 8, 2015
Vigil at Figaro Cafe in Los Feliz. (photo courtesy @katherinefugate) pic.twitter.com/ovcVSANLm7
— Peter Avellino (@PeterAPeel) January 8, 2015
Vigil at Los Feliz area French Restaurant Figaro drew lotsa sign-holding people stunned at the #parisattack @myfoxla pic.twitter.com/kn4KG44pRZ
— Hal Eisner (@HalEisner) January 8, 2015
Holding up smartphones with #JeSuisCharlie in Los Feliz at Figaro Cafe. Huge show of support. @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/GD1tDElBXY
— Juan Fernandez (@NewsJuan) January 8, 2015
#JeSuisCharlie Figaro Cafe. Los Feliz. One flower, one candle. pic.twitter.com/98WweBBe3w
— Juan Fernandez (@NewsJuan) January 8, 2015
Here's video of the vigil outside of Figaro:
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