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| At Sites Honoring Victims of Paris Attacks, Concerns About the Future | At Sites Honoring Victims of Paris Attacks, Concerns About the Future |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| PARIS — The light of a candle flickered across Silvana DiPonzeo’s face as she leaned down to read one of the hundreds of notes and cartoons strewn among heaps of flowers near the former offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. | PARIS — The light of a candle flickered across Silvana DiPonzeo’s face as she leaned down to read one of the hundreds of notes and cartoons strewn among heaps of flowers near the former offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. |
| Since two gunmen stormed the offices on Jan. 7 and massacred a group of the newspaper’s editors for publishing irreverent depictions of Muhammad, she has made two visits from her home in Paris’s 19th Arrondissement to pay homage to the dead. On Tuesday, she was returning for a third time, in hopes of letting go of her grief. | Since two gunmen stormed the offices on Jan. 7 and massacred a group of the newspaper’s editors for publishing irreverent depictions of Muhammad, she has made two visits from her home in Paris’s 19th Arrondissement to pay homage to the dead. On Tuesday, she was returning for a third time, in hopes of letting go of her grief. |
| “Everyone in this country has been touched by what happened — we’re still reeling from it,” Ms. DiPonzeo said, as tears rolled down her cheeks. “Something was killed in the soul of every person.” | “Everyone in this country has been touched by what happened — we’re still reeling from it,” Ms. DiPonzeo said, as tears rolled down her cheeks. “Something was killed in the soul of every person.” |
| She opened her purse and fished out a black sticker, emblazoned with a single word in white: “Liberté.” She placed it along a row of candles. “I’m here to grieve,” she said. “But I’m also here because we cannot let our liberty and freedom of speech die.” | She opened her purse and fished out a black sticker, emblazoned with a single word in white: “Liberté.” She placed it along a row of candles. “I’m here to grieve,” she said. “But I’m also here because we cannot let our liberty and freedom of speech die.” |
| Almost two weeks after 17 people were killed around Paris in the worst terrorist attacks in France’s modern history, the sites of the carnage have turned into impromptu shrines. | Almost two weeks after 17 people were killed around Paris in the worst terrorist attacks in France’s modern history, the sites of the carnage have turned into impromptu shrines. |
| More than that, they have become gathering places for mourners, including visitors from other countries, to share their sadness and to leave messages of peace and hope — written in French, Hebrew, Arabic, English and numerous other languages in a global expression of solidarity. | More than that, they have become gathering places for mourners, including visitors from other countries, to share their sadness and to leave messages of peace and hope — written in French, Hebrew, Arabic, English and numerous other languages in a global expression of solidarity. |
| Dignitaries have come, too, including Secretary of State John Kerry. On this frigid Tuesday morning, a handful of visitors were jolted from their solemnity when Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York drove up in a caravan with Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris. | Dignitaries have come, too, including Secretary of State John Kerry. On this frigid Tuesday morning, a handful of visitors were jolted from their solemnity when Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York drove up in a caravan with Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris. |
| Linking arms with Patrick Pelloux, a Charlie Hebdo staff member, they placed a large bouquet atop the piles of roses, hyacinths, lilies, tulips, mums, orchids and other flowers, which in some places were already stacked knee deep. | Linking arms with Patrick Pelloux, a Charlie Hebdo staff member, they placed a large bouquet atop the piles of roses, hyacinths, lilies, tulips, mums, orchids and other flowers, which in some places were already stacked knee deep. |
| Earlier, surrounded by a huge security detail, Mr. de Blasio had gone to a kosher market in eastern Paris to place a wreath where a third terrorist had killed four hostages in a siege that galvanized France’s Jewish community. | Earlier, surrounded by a huge security detail, Mr. de Blasio had gone to a kosher market in eastern Paris to place a wreath where a third terrorist had killed four hostages in a siege that galvanized France’s Jewish community. |
| For many, the shrines have offered a place to reflect quietly, yet in company, on the profound issues of freedom of speech and religion raised by the attacks, and to discuss the changes already happening because of the killings. | For many, the shrines have offered a place to reflect quietly, yet in company, on the profound issues of freedom of speech and religion raised by the attacks, and to discuss the changes already happening because of the killings. |
| Near Rue Nicolas-Appert, where the killers barged into Charlie Hebdo’s offices and ran to the second floor to gun down staff members, visitors navigated clusters of red, blue and green pencils and pens, left as symbols of language being the mightiest weapon. | |
| Nearby, four yellow pencils were glued to a small blackboard. Each was decorated with a pair of angel wings and halos in white chalk above a row of names and nicknames in neat cursive: Cabu. Charb. Wolinski. Tignous. All four were cartoonists killed in the shooting rampage. | Nearby, four yellow pencils were glued to a small blackboard. Each was decorated with a pair of angel wings and halos in white chalk above a row of names and nicknames in neat cursive: Cabu. Charb. Wolinski. Tignous. All four were cartoonists killed in the shooting rampage. |
| A woman in a head scarf reached out to touch a bouquet of roses. “My family and I are shocked to the core by this,” said the woman, who described herself as Muslim and gave only her first name, Majda, and age, 42, to preserve her privacy. | A woman in a head scarf reached out to touch a bouquet of roses. “My family and I are shocked to the core by this,” said the woman, who described herself as Muslim and gave only her first name, Majda, and age, 42, to preserve her privacy. |
| “Liberty of expression is a core value of France,” she said. “We are against blasphemy, and for many, the prophet is sacred. But that can never validate killing as a response, in any religion.” | “Liberty of expression is a core value of France,” she said. “We are against blasphemy, and for many, the prophet is sacred. But that can never validate killing as a response, in any religion.” |
| Christophe Lambert, 40, an emergency medical worker from the 20th Arrondissement, said he felt stupefied as he gazed at the hundreds of notecards and drawings left on the sidewalks or stuck on walls near the site. “Hate destroys those who hold it as much as those it targets,” read one. | |
| Another read, simply: “Dialogue. Peace. Respect.” | Another read, simply: “Dialogue. Peace. Respect.” |
| “We all feel a little scared,” said Mr. Lambert, who had visited the site a week earlier and felt compelled to return with a Muslim friend, Mouneb Farid, 50, who wanted to make the pilgrimage. | “We all feel a little scared,” said Mr. Lambert, who had visited the site a week earlier and felt compelled to return with a Muslim friend, Mouneb Farid, 50, who wanted to make the pilgrimage. |
| “This was about a challenge to our freedom of speech,” Mr. Lambert said. “But we also must make a distinction between liberty of expression and how it touches those who believe in Islam. It’s a discussion that will continue.” | |
| Mr. Lambert said he had been disturbed to see scenes of the large demonstrations that had sprung up in the last week in countries where Muslims had taken offense at the newest Charlie Hebdo cover, which depicted Muhammad weeping after the terrorist attack. | |
| He worried that the reaction might fuel new threats and greater popularity for France’s far-right National Front party. | He worried that the reaction might fuel new threats and greater popularity for France’s far-right National Front party. |
| Jean-Pierre Mounier, 56, a resident of Lyon who had traveled north to visit Paris for work, said he feared the French government might start squeezing out everyday freedoms by clamping down on security and maneuvering to enact restrictive legislation similar to the Patriot Act, passed by the American government after the Sept. 11 attacks. | Jean-Pierre Mounier, 56, a resident of Lyon who had traveled north to visit Paris for work, said he feared the French government might start squeezing out everyday freedoms by clamping down on security and maneuvering to enact restrictive legislation similar to the Patriot Act, passed by the American government after the Sept. 11 attacks. |
| “There is a huge collective emotion,” Mr. Mounier said as he hovered quietly near a phalanx of candles and gazed at photos of the four dead cartoonists next to a sign reading “Eternal Heroes.” | “There is a huge collective emotion,” Mr. Mounier said as he hovered quietly near a phalanx of candles and gazed at photos of the four dead cartoonists next to a sign reading “Eternal Heroes.” |
| “But we should not use this as a means to clamp down on our liberties,” he said. “If we do that, it would be a victory for the terrorists.” | “But we should not use this as a means to clamp down on our liberties,” he said. “If we do that, it would be a victory for the terrorists.” |
| Around the corner, Christophe Leonhartz, a German man from Düsseldorf who was in Paris on a work trip, had just returned from the site near the Charlie Hebdo offices where a police officer, Ahmed Merabet, was shot and killed as he lay wounded on the sidewalk. That spot, too, has become a spontaneous shrine of flowers, flags and candles. | Around the corner, Christophe Leonhartz, a German man from Düsseldorf who was in Paris on a work trip, had just returned from the site near the Charlie Hebdo offices where a police officer, Ahmed Merabet, was shot and killed as he lay wounded on the sidewalk. That spot, too, has become a spontaneous shrine of flowers, flags and candles. |
| Mr. Leonhartz, 46, wiped away tears as he turned to leave. “I feel this is all personal; it touches my spirit,” he said. “Freedom of speech is for everyone, even if I didn’t share in their humor.” | |
| He said he was troubled to see anti-Muslim marches taking place in his own country. But like Mr. Mounier, he worried that European politicians would seize the moment to impose intrusive surveillance on their citizens. | |
| “It will take time to understand” the consequences of the attacks, Mr. Leonhartz said. “Like after 9/11, how will it change our society?” he asked. “Sometimes, not always for the best.” | |
| Outside the kosher supermarket, Matthieu Chavane, 37, expressed a different set of worries. | Outside the kosher supermarket, Matthieu Chavane, 37, expressed a different set of worries. |
| He works across the street as an environmental engineer, and nearly every day he had passed a giant offering of flowers strewn behind police barricades that prevented visitors from getting close to the market, which had its shutters drawn and bullet holes through one window. | He works across the street as an environmental engineer, and nearly every day he had passed a giant offering of flowers strewn behind police barricades that prevented visitors from getting close to the market, which had its shutters drawn and bullet holes through one window. |
| Mr. Chavane’s wife is Jewish, and she now wants to leave France with her mother to live in Israel, he said. “There’s an incredible sadness, but there’s also fear,” he said. “We say: ‘This could have been us. It could happen to anyone.’ ” | Mr. Chavane’s wife is Jewish, and she now wants to leave France with her mother to live in Israel, he said. “There’s an incredible sadness, but there’s also fear,” he said. “We say: ‘This could have been us. It could happen to anyone.’ ” |
| At his feet lay two poignant signs left by passers-by. “I am Charlie. I am the police. I am Jewish,” read one. “I am Muslim. I came to share our collective pain,” read the other. | At his feet lay two poignant signs left by passers-by. “I am Charlie. I am the police. I am Jewish,” read one. “I am Muslim. I came to share our collective pain,” read the other. |
| Despite the messages of solidarity, Mr. Chavane said his family felt sure that there would be other attacks on French soil, especially after the latest Charlie Hebdo cartoon appeared to have stoked new anger among some Muslims. | Despite the messages of solidarity, Mr. Chavane said his family felt sure that there would be other attacks on French soil, especially after the latest Charlie Hebdo cartoon appeared to have stoked new anger among some Muslims. |
| “You see images on TV now of the French flag being burned in other countries,” Mr. Chavane said. “You see the National Front capitalizing on this. And the reaction seems to be like putting a muzzle on every person.” | “You see images on TV now of the French flag being burned in other countries,” Mr. Chavane said. “You see the National Front capitalizing on this. And the reaction seems to be like putting a muzzle on every person.” |
| At the Charlie Hebdo site, Ms. DiPonzeo dried her eyes and turned to leave several times and return home to her family. But she lingered, time and again, taking long looks at the scene. | At the Charlie Hebdo site, Ms. DiPonzeo dried her eyes and turned to leave several times and return home to her family. But she lingered, time and again, taking long looks at the scene. |
| “They all lost their lives for France,” she said. “We must make sure that the spirit of Charlie Hebdo lives on in our souls.” | “They all lost their lives for France,” she said. “We must make sure that the spirit of Charlie Hebdo lives on in our souls.” |
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