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Paris attacks: Capital declares itself 'battered but still afloat' Paris attacks: Capital declares itself 'battered but still afloat'
(1 day later)
In normal times, the world has a mixed view of Paris. Beautiful, yes, but a little predictable and stuck in the past. As for the Parisians, mon Dieu: so haughty, so rude, so effortlessly and so annoyingly good-looking.In normal times, the world has a mixed view of Paris. Beautiful, yes, but a little predictable and stuck in the past. As for the Parisians, mon Dieu: so haughty, so rude, so effortlessly and so annoyingly good-looking.
The world has a less ambivalent, and often stupidly exaggerated, view of the French (whoever “the French” may be). Arrogant; pretentious; unreliable; lazy; irritatingly good at cooking and football.The world has a less ambivalent, and often stupidly exaggerated, view of the French (whoever “the French” may be). Arrogant; pretentious; unreliable; lazy; irritatingly good at cooking and football.
How strange, therefore, and how strangely moving, to see the world daub itself blue, white and red. How odd to see so many people proclaim “Je suis un Parisien” and adopt the Eiffel Tower as an emblem of peace and tolerance.How strange, therefore, and how strangely moving, to see the world daub itself blue, white and red. How odd to see so many people proclaim “Je suis un Parisien” and adopt the Eiffel Tower as an emblem of peace and tolerance.
As someone who has lived in Paris and written about France (the good and the bad) for nearly 19 years, I confess myself to be heartened – and perplexed. I once saw England football fans lay waste to a town on the French-Belgian border. Who would have expected to hear England supporters sing the Marseillaise before a match against France at Wembley?As someone who has lived in Paris and written about France (the good and the bad) for nearly 19 years, I confess myself to be heartened – and perplexed. I once saw England football fans lay waste to a town on the French-Belgian border. Who would have expected to hear England supporters sing the Marseillaise before a match against France at Wembley?
This is partly defiance: an instinctive two fingers to the terrorists. All the same, I suspect that the slaughter of 130 people in Berlin or Madrid or Brussels would not have had the equivalent emotional impact. Paris – like London or like New York – is bigger than itself. It symbolises something about the way we live and the way that we want to carry on living. That, of course, may be why Isis attacked Paris in the first place.This is partly defiance: an instinctive two fingers to the terrorists. All the same, I suspect that the slaughter of 130 people in Berlin or Madrid or Brussels would not have had the equivalent emotional impact. Paris – like London or like New York – is bigger than itself. It symbolises something about the way we live and the way that we want to carry on living. That, of course, may be why Isis attacked Paris in the first place.
On the day after the Friday 13th massacres, this sense of a global citizenship of Paris was beautifully expressed by a reader on The New York Times website. The prose poem, by “Blackpoodles” of Santa Barbara in California, went viral on both English and French language social media.On the day after the Friday 13th massacres, this sense of a global citizenship of Paris was beautifully expressed by a reader on The New York Times website. The prose poem, by “Blackpoodles” of Santa Barbara in California, went viral on both English and French language social media.
“France embodies everything religious zealots everywhere hate: enjoyment of life here on earth in a myriad little ways: a fragrant cup of coffee and buttery croissant in the morning, beautiful women in short dresses smiling freely on the street, the smell of warm bread, a bottle of wine shared with friends, a dab of perfume, children playing in the Luxembourg Gardens, the right not to believe in any god, not to worry about calories, to flirt and smoke and enjoy sex outside of marriage, to take vacations, to read any book you want, to go to school for free, to play, to laugh, to argue, to make fun of prelates and politicians alike, to leave worrying about the afterlife to the dead.“France embodies everything religious zealots everywhere hate: enjoyment of life here on earth in a myriad little ways: a fragrant cup of coffee and buttery croissant in the morning, beautiful women in short dresses smiling freely on the street, the smell of warm bread, a bottle of wine shared with friends, a dab of perfume, children playing in the Luxembourg Gardens, the right not to believe in any god, not to worry about calories, to flirt and smoke and enjoy sex outside of marriage, to take vacations, to read any book you want, to go to school for free, to play, to laugh, to argue, to make fun of prelates and politicians alike, to leave worrying about the afterlife to the dead.
“No country does life on earth better than the French.”“No country does life on earth better than the French.”
On Tuesday, a Parisian woman called Danielle, aged 77, gave a street interview with BFM TV. She urged people to read Ernest Hemingway’s eulogy to Paris, A Moveable Feast.On Tuesday, a Parisian woman called Danielle, aged 77, gave a street interview with BFM TV. She urged people to read Ernest Hemingway’s eulogy to Paris, A Moveable Feast.
“We are a very old civilisation and we will uphold our values at the highest level,” Danielle said. “We will fraternise with five million muslims who practise their religion freely and kindly and we will fight the 10,000 barbarians who kill, supposedly in the name of Allah.”“We are a very old civilisation and we will uphold our values at the highest level,” Danielle said. “We will fraternise with five million muslims who practise their religion freely and kindly and we will fight the 10,000 barbarians who kill, supposedly in the name of Allah.”
The clip of her interview also went viral. Two days later A Moveable Feast rose to second place on the Amazon bestseller list in France.The clip of her interview also went viral. Two days later A Moveable Feast rose to second place on the Amazon bestseller list in France.
Paris has lived up to its motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (“Battered but still afloat”). On the night of the attacks, the legendarily frosty Parisians opened their homes to survivors. Taxis took the slightly injured to hospital without charge. Paris has lived up to its motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (“Battered but still afloat”). On the night of the attacks, the legendarily frosty Parisians opened their homes to survivors. Taxis took the slightly injured to hospital without charge. 
Members of the public gather to lay flowers and light candles at La Belle Equipe restaraunt on Rue de Charonne in Paris
People lay a memorial to honour victims of the Paris terror attacks at Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia
Soccer fans display the colors of the French flag in response to the deadly terrorist attack in Paris, France before the soccer match between the New York Cosmos' and the Ottawa Fury for the North American Soccer League championship at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, USA
Pakistani Civil society activists shout slogans during a protest against Isis militants near the French consulate for the victims of the 13 November Paris attacks in Karachi, Pakistan
People gather and view messages written on the ground at Place de la Republique in Paris
French flags and a note reading "We will not let you spoil our children's lives" at the site of the attack at the Cafe Belle Equipe on rue de Charonne in the 11th district, in Paris
A rose is placed beside a bullet hole at La Belle Equipe restaraunt on Rue de Charonne following the terrorist attack in Paris. As France observes three days of national mourning members of the public continue to pay tribute to the victims of deadly attacks
People gather for a national service for the victims of the terror attack at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris
Bono and band members of U2 pay their respects and place flowers on the pavement near the scene of yesterday's Bataclan Theatre terrorist attack in Paris
A man kneels as he pays tribute to victims at Place de la Republique near the deadly attack sites in Paris
Tributes to the victims at the Place de la Republique square in Paris
AFP
An electronic billboard on a canal show solidarity with Paris in Milan
EPA
People lay down flowers and light candles to tribute victims of Friday's attacks in Paris as the Brandenburg gate is illuminated in blue, white and red in the colors of the French flag, in Berlin
Reuters
A man leaves flowers as a tribute following the deadly attacks in Paris, outside the French consulate in Istanbul
Reuters
People take pictures of flowers placed in bullet holes in the window of a Japanese restaurant next to the cafe 'La Belle Equipe'
AFP
People gather at a makeshift memorial next to the Bataclan theatre in Paris on November 14, 2015,
A woman carrying flowers cries in front of the Carillon cafe and the Petit Cambodge restaurant in Paris
AP
People gather in front of flowers that were laid outside the French embassy in Rome
AP
People react near the cafe 'La Belle Equipe' at the Rue de Charonne
AFP
A young girl places a candle in front of the Carillon cafe in Paris
AP
Flowers placed outside the cafe 'La Belle Equipe' at the Rue de Charonne in Paris, the scene for one of the attacks
AFP
A woman is comforted by others outside the Carillon cafe and the Petit Cambodge restaurant in Paris
The Brandenbourg Gate featuring French national colors is pictured in Berlin, on November 14, 2015 a day after deadly attacks in Paris
Flowers are laid in front of the French embassy in Rome
EPA
A candle is lit next to flowers outside the French Embassy in Berlin
AFP
Since then, Paris Métro journeys have fallen by 10 per cent. Shopping in the big stores has collapsed. Sitting on a café terrace, however, has become a form of resistance. Since then, Paris Métro journeys have fallen by 10 per cent. Shopping in the big stores has collapsed. Sitting on a café terrace, however, has become a form of resistance. 
There are many French people – especially outside Paris – who do not think like Danielle. There has been a surge of attacks in provincial France on mosques and women in Muslim headscarves (though fewer than after the Charlie Hebdo massacre).There are many French people – especially outside Paris – who do not think like Danielle. There has been a surge of attacks in provincial France on mosques and women in Muslim headscarves (though fewer than after the Charlie Hebdo massacre).
Marine Le Pen’s National Front, which was already expected to do well, is likely to post record scores in regional elections next month. “After all of this, she will just have to bend down and pick up votes lying on the street,” said one depressed centre-right politician.Marine Le Pen’s National Front, which was already expected to do well, is likely to post record scores in regional elections next month. “After all of this, she will just have to bend down and pick up votes lying on the street,” said one depressed centre-right politician.
But for now, like “Blackpoodles of Santa Barbara”, let us cling to the positive. The prose poem ended: “The forces of darkness will ebb. They will lose. They always do.”But for now, like “Blackpoodles of Santa Barbara”, let us cling to the positive. The prose poem ended: “The forces of darkness will ebb. They will lose. They always do.”