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[h=4]Americans pay respects to Paris terror victims[/h]Vigils honor fallen in Friday's terrorist attacks
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Students, teachers, campus officials and elected representatives gathered at California State University, Long Beach to honor the short life of student Nohemi Gonzalez, a victim of the Paris terrorist rampage. Chris Woodyard reports. Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY
A man holds up a poster reading "Je Suis Paris" ("I am Paris") during a peace rally for France in the Boston Common on Sunday.(Photo: Trisha Thadani, USA TODAY)
BOSTON — Emmanuel Bardon arrived here from Paris on Saturday and said he never thought a peace rally for his country would be part of his long-planned business trip.
"It was strange in the airport," the 23-year-old Frenchman said. "We were excited to go ... but we were<span style="color: Red;">*</span>also wondering, 'Should we go?'"
In the Boston Common on Sunday afternoon, hundreds attended a rally of support for Paris and France, one of several events, many of them spontaneous,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>taking place nationwide in the wake of Friday’s deadly terror attacks that killed 132.
The events included a vigil on the campus of California State University in Long Beach, Calif., where 23-year-old senior<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Nohemi Gonzalez attended class. She is the only<span style="color: Red;">*</span>American victim identified in the attacks.
On Sunday in Boston, the crowd was quiet and somber, some holding flags while others held posters with messages such as “Je suis Paris” ("I am Paris").<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Speaking to the crowd, Valery Freland, the Consul General of France, thanked Boston for standing with Paris after the flurry of violence. "Thank you for the solidarity and support," he said before offering a moment of silence. The pin-drop silence was broken a minute later when the crowd began singing the France national anthem.
USA TODAY
Cal State mourns student killed in Paris attacks
Holding a hand-drawn poster, 24-year-old Sonya Temko, who lived in Paris for<span style="color: Red;">*</span>two years, said it is hard to imagine that such terror ripped through a city<span style="color: Red;">*</span>she once called home. One of the cafes that was attacked was one of her favorite spots. "It's hard to be here and not be able to do anything," she said.
Marine Gazan came to the USA from the South of France to be a caretaker for a family in Boston. She said it is uncomfortable to be so far away from her country during this time, but she has<span style="color: Red;">*</span>not considered going back.
“It’s sad to see something happen for nothing,” she said. “[Paris] is somewhere that you’re supposed to go and be happy.”
Vigil participants on Sunday embrace next to the Lafayette Monument in Boston Common, erected in honor of the distinguished French soldier.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Trisha Thadani, USA TODAY)
In Chicago on Sunday, a small crowd<span style="color: Red;">*</span>gathered outside the office of the Consulate General of France to show solidarity<span style="color: Red;">*</span>with Parisians. Vincent Floreani, the consul general of France in Chicago, delivered a message of thanks to the crowd in French and later translated in English, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
In New York City, where thousands gathered earlier in the weekend in Washington Square Park and Union Square, crowds were expected at Sunday evening vigils in three boroughs:<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Jackson Heights, Queens; Washington Heights in Manhattan;<span style="color: Red;">*</span>and Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn, which is sometimes<span style="color: Red;">*</span>called "Little Paris" because of its<span style="color: Red;">*</span>large number of French residents.
The Cal State vigil was being held two days after similar events at the French Consulate in Los Angeles and the Islamic Center of Southern California.
Gonzalez<span style="color: Red;">*</span>was studying at the Strate College of Design in Paris as part of a semester-abroad program, the Los Angeles Times reported. She was at a bistro Friday night with three friends when gunmen opened fire from a passing vehicle. Her friends managed to escape, but Gonzalez was wounded and later died of her injuries in a Paris hospital, said Jeet Joshee, associate vice president for international education at the university.
USA TODAY
French mourn lives lost and condemn terrorism in name of religion
On Sunday, hundreds gathered to remember her<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in Cal State's<span style="color: Red;">*</span>student union, where a<span style="color: Red;">*</span>photo of Gonzalez was placed next to a podium.
She was "very helpful and nice," said Stephen Kosai, who had Gonzalez as a student teacher, before the service. "We got very close in that six weeks."
Gonzalez was one of 19 people killed at the popular bistro<span style="color: Red;">*</span>La Belle Equipe. Nine others were critically wounded, the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Times<span style="color: Red;">*</span>reported.
"Our entire city is grieving this tragic loss," said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. "We will ensure that Nohemi’s memory is honored and her family is supported."
Contributing: Jefferson Graham and Chris Woodyard
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