A minute of silence was held in France at midday today (11.00AM UK time) to honour the victims of the Nice attack. The incident which occurred on Thursday 14th July saw Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel run into citizens with a 19-tonne truck at the Bastille Day celebrations. The tragedy took place in the city of Nice, the fifth most populous city in France.
84 people were killed in total.
Details have been released about the victims on the day, people included three generations of the same family, a man protecting his pregnant wife and a visiting international student.
27-year-old Timothé Gournier, was killed after pushing his seven month pregnant wife out of the way of the truck. His cousin spoke of Gournier.
“He was a great guy. A young dreamer, but someone who was always there for his family.”
85 students from University of California Berkeley were at the spot for a two week study-abroad trip on entrepreneurship in Europe, 20-year-old Nicolas Leslie was among them and was killed by the oncoming truck. Three other students were injured.
“This is tragic, devastating news,” UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks said in a statement. “All of us in the UC Berkeley family – both here on campus, and around the world – are heartbroken to learn that another promising young student has been lost to senseless violence.”
Since the incident French fighters have launched two air strikes against Islamic State.
After the minute of silence, which was held as Monument du Centenaire, the crowd applauded as the French national anthem played. Flowers were laid at a nearby garden.
The Tricolour flag will fly at half-mast over government buildings as a mark of respect and support.
