Thousands Around World Show Unity With Paris

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Thousands of people in the UK and around the world joined in solidarity with the French people as they marched or gathered in unity against the Paris attacks.

More than a thousand people gathered in London's Trafalgar Square on Sunday to honour the victims of Islamist attacks in Paris, with many raising pencils to the sky.

The colours of the French flag - the Tricolore - were displayed on several landmarks in the capital including the National Gallery, Tower Bridge and the London Eye.

London Mayor Boris Johnson described the gatherings in London and around the world as "stunning" and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said there was a "striking dignity" about people coming together spontaneously to "show their quiet disgust at what happened".

French Ambassador to London Sylvie Bermann told Sky News that the events of Sunday were "very important".

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Gallery: France Attacks: Marches Worldwide

London's Tower Bridge is illuminated by the red, white and blue of the French Tricolore in solidarity with the capital of the UK's nearest neighbour state

People in many countries around the world have taken part in demonstrations of unity with the French people after the attacks in Paris. A large number of people gathered in Madrid

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The French Ambassador to Cyprus joined crowds at Eleftheria Square in central Nicosia, Cyprus

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A woman holds the national flag of France as people gather in Trafalgar Square, London

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People hold placards reading in French "I am Charlie" and in English "Not Afraid" during a public show of solidarity at Plaza del Sol in Madrid

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She said: "The message is fight against terrorism, to defend our voices, to defend our freedoms of opinion and expression. Everybody wanted to participate and everybody is concerned."

Hundreds more marched through the centres of Glasgow and Dublin and around 1,000 held a minute's silence in Sheffield.

Many of those marching around the world displayed the French phrase that has become the symbol of the fight to preserve freedom of expression in the wake of the attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine - Je suis Charlie (I am Charlie).

Others unveiled banners that supported the police and Jewish and Islamic people, with many keen to say that being Muslim does not mean being a terrorist.

Some 20,000 people marched through the Belgian capital Brussels on Sunday in one of the biggest marches outside France.

Around 12,000 rallied in the Austrian capital Vienna, 18,000 gathered in front of the Brandenburg Gate in the German capital Berlin and 2,000 people rallied outside the French embassy in Luxembourg.

While in Madrid's Plaza de Sol, hundreds descended on the streets with red, white and blue French flags, and singing the French national anthem.

Many of those in Madrid were Muslims, determined to spell out that Islam was a religion of peace and that being a Muslim and being a terrorist was not the same.

One of the marches around the world was in the Palestinian city of Ramallah, where children carried signs saying "I am Charlie" in Arabic and condemning the attacks on Charlie Hebdo magazine.

Hundreds of people rallied in downtown Sydney's Martin Place, a plaza where a man wielding a shotgun took 18 people hostage in a cafe while displaying an Islamic flag.

Hundreds of mostly French-speaking New Yorkers braved below-freezing temperatures and held pens aloft at a rally in Washington Square Park.

Journalists in Cairo held a silent protest outside the headquarters of the Egyptian Syndicate of Journalists holding up pens.

It came as an Egyptian court sentenced a student to three years in jail for announcing on Facebook that he is an atheist and for being found guilty of the offence of insulting Islam.

Among other cities where demonstrations took place were Moscow, Jerusalem, Beirut in Lebanon, Thessalonika in Greece, Arbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, Ankara in Turkey, Nicosia in Cyprus, Tokyo in Japan and Ulan Bator in Mongolia.

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Muke Nyerate