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Paris attacks: Residents speak of fear, blame and war as air of mourning pervades French capital Paris attacks: Residents speak of fear, blame and war as air of mourning pervades French capital
(1 day later)
One week on, the mourners still come. The Bataclan, La Belle Equipe, le Carillon – names once only associated with enjoyment and good company – have become memorials.One week on, the mourners still come. The Bataclan, La Belle Equipe, le Carillon – names once only associated with enjoyment and good company – have become memorials.
A steady procession of Parisians have arrived to lay flowers and candles – still in shock, but determined to try and understand the slaughter of 130 people in the heart of the City of Lights. In the 10th and 11th arrondisements – haunts of Paris’s young, diverse and open-minded – people remain caught between grief and defiance. A steady procession of Parisians have arrived to lay flowers and candles – still in shock, but determined to try and understand the slaughter of 130 people in the heart of the City of Lights. In the 10th and 11th arrondisements – haunts of Paris’s young, diverse and open-minded – people remain caught between grief and defiance. 
The glass frontages of the cafés and bars that were attacked still bear the wounds, and here and there roses have been thrust into holes made by bullets and shrapnel. Bouquets in red, white, blue, yellow and green festoon the pavement – visible scars on familiar Parisian scenes.The glass frontages of the cafés and bars that were attacked still bear the wounds, and here and there roses have been thrust into holes made by bullets and shrapnel. Bouquets in red, white, blue, yellow and green festoon the pavement – visible scars on familiar Parisian scenes.
“Everyone has a friend who has a friend who was there,” says Mathieu Muls, 31, an engineer, who lives close to the Comptoir Voltaire, where one week ago Ibrahim Abdeslam sat down, ordered a drink, and then blew himself up. “The overwhelming feeling still is sadness. All week we have had to work, but it has been very hard. We have talked because we needed to. It makes us sad but we have no choice but to talk, and to think about it.”“Everyone has a friend who has a friend who was there,” says Mathieu Muls, 31, an engineer, who lives close to the Comptoir Voltaire, where one week ago Ibrahim Abdeslam sat down, ordered a drink, and then blew himself up. “The overwhelming feeling still is sadness. All week we have had to work, but it has been very hard. We have talked because we needed to. It makes us sad but we have no choice but to talk, and to think about it.”
On Friday night, as Paris prepared to mark the start of the attacks with a defiant show of light and music organised by local artists, there were the first hints that some semblance of normality might soon return. On Friday night, as Paris prepared to mark the start of the attacks with a defiant show of light and music organised by local artists, there were the first hints that some semblance of normality might soon return. 
Though quiet, the streets of the 10th and 11th were not only walked by mourners. In the spirit of the week’s defiant “Je Suis en Terrasse” protests, many were out drinking, and eating in the brasseries and bistros that make people fall in love with this city, the unaccustomed sound of laughter could sporadically be heard.Though quiet, the streets of the 10th and 11th were not only walked by mourners. In the spirit of the week’s defiant “Je Suis en Terrasse” protests, many were out drinking, and eating in the brasseries and bistros that make people fall in love with this city, the unaccustomed sound of laughter could sporadically be heard.
For Virginie Niclasse, a 35-year-old actress handing out flyers for the Laurette Theatre, which neighbours Le Petit Cambodge and Le Carillon, where 15 were killed – the events of last week could almost belong to another world. For Virginie Niclasse, a 35-year-old actress handing out flyers for the Laurette Theatre, which neighbours Le Petit Cambodge and Le Carillon, where 15 were killed – the events of last week could almost belong to another world. 
“I stayed at my friends that night, and the next day we left early and got the Metro. The atmosphere was  so strange and it was very, very shocking to see a military truck full of young soldiers unloading with their packs. It was like being in a war.“I stayed at my friends that night, and the next day we left early and got the Metro. The atmosphere was  so strange and it was very, very shocking to see a military truck full of young soldiers unloading with their packs. It was like being in a war.
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
“It will never be like before,” she says. “People are forcing themselves to come back to normal life. People who say they are not afraid are afraid. We are all afraid.”“It will never be like before,” she says. “People are forcing themselves to come back to normal life. People who say they are not afraid are afraid. We are all afraid.”
Casey Sellarole, a 27-year-old waitress from North Carolina, started working only three weeks ago at Le Pure Café, across the road from La Belle Equipe, where 19 people were shot last Friday.Casey Sellarole, a 27-year-old waitress from North Carolina, started working only three weeks ago at Le Pure Café, across the road from La Belle Equipe, where 19 people were shot last Friday.
“I think people are still on edge, which they have a right to be,” she says. “For me, the most scary part is that we all feel so powerless. The targets were random terraces. It’s targeting French culture.”“I think people are still on edge, which they have a right to be,” she says. “For me, the most scary part is that we all feel so powerless. The targets were random terraces. It’s targeting French culture.”
One word looms heavy over the city, first uttered by President François Hollande the day after the attacks, and now on most people’s minds: la guerre – war. One word looms heavy over the city, first uttered by President François Hollande the day after the attacks, and now on most people’s minds: la guerre – war. 
“I agree with Hollande, it is a war,” says Pierre Calixte, a 60-year-old from Seine Saint-Denis, just outside the city, who has come to pay homage at La Belle Equipe.“I agree with Hollande, it is a war,” says Pierre Calixte, a 60-year-old from Seine Saint-Denis, just outside the city, who has come to pay homage at La Belle Equipe.
“The suspected ringleader who was killed came to France without anybody knowing. It’s necessary to revisit questions of the movement of people in Europe, the borders, absolutely. We have to close the external borders of Europe and protect the borders of France.”“The suspected ringleader who was killed came to France without anybody knowing. It’s necessary to revisit questions of the movement of people in Europe, the borders, absolutely. We have to close the external borders of Europe and protect the borders of France.”
Others resist such a hardening of attitudes. “It is not a war against another country,” says Mr Muls. “Closing the border is not the solution and I do not see a link between the refugee crisis and what happened. People who made the attacks were from France and Belgium. It is a war against an ideology. Closing the borders will not be a solution.”Others resist such a hardening of attitudes. “It is not a war against another country,” says Mr Muls. “Closing the border is not the solution and I do not see a link between the refugee crisis and what happened. People who made the attacks were from France and Belgium. It is a war against an ideology. Closing the borders will not be a solution.”
In the suburb of Saint-Denis, where the suspected ringleader, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was killed in a dramatic police raid on Wednesday – people are equally wary of any bellicose rhetoric. In the suburb of Saint-Denis, where the suspected ringleader, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was killed in a dramatic police raid on Wednesday – people are equally wary of any bellicose rhetoric. 
“We are with the police. Hollande and they moved quickly,” says Mahmoud Bouazizi, whose family owns Les Orangines café, within sight of the rue du Corbillon, where police are still clearing the bombed out apartment. “We are with the police. Hollande and they moved quickly,” says Mahmoud Bouazizi, whose family owns Les Orangines café, within sight of the rue du Corbillon, where police are still clearing the bombed out apartment. 
“But in my opinion it’s not a war. Or at least not a war against un adversaire connu – a known enemy.”“But in my opinion it’s not a war. Or at least not a war against un adversaire connu – a known enemy.”
For me, the most scary part is that we all feel so powerless. The targets were random terraces. It’s targeting French culture
Casey Sellarole
Some commentators have begun to wonder whether the President’s uncharacteristically belligerent response – a three-month state of emergency and a renewed assault on so-called Islamic State (IS) strongholds in Syria – has as much to do with the political threat of Marine Le Pen and the far-right Front National, as it does with France’s security priorities. Some commentators have begun to wonder whether the President’s uncharacteristically belligerent response – a three-month state of emergency and a renewed assault on so-called Islamic State (IS) strongholds in Syria – has as much to do with the political threat of Marine Le Pen and the far-right Front National, as it does with France’s security priorities. 
For the young people of Paris, however, the first priority is clear – to overcome fear.For the young people of Paris, however, the first priority is clear – to overcome fear.
On Friday night at 9.20, precisely a week after the attacks began, a small crowd gathered at the foot of the statue of Marianne, the embodiment of liberty, in Place de la Republique which has become a temporary shrine to the fallen.On Friday night at 9.20, precisely a week after the attacks began, a small crowd gathered at the foot of the statue of Marianne, the embodiment of liberty, in Place de la Republique which has become a temporary shrine to the fallen.
Romain Berger, a performance artist, has brought a sound-system and is acting as MC for an impromptu rave – a two-fingered salute to the joyless killers who left this place deserted a week ago. The crowd chant “Debout, debout!” – ‘stand up, stand up!”Romain Berger, a performance artist, has brought a sound-system and is acting as MC for an impromptu rave – a two-fingered salute to the joyless killers who left this place deserted a week ago. The crowd chant “Debout, debout!” – ‘stand up, stand up!”
“I’m proud of Paris,” he says “and this is the only just reaction: no words of hate, just stand together. Stand firm.”“I’m proud of Paris,” he says “and this is the only just reaction: no words of hate, just stand together. Stand firm.”