Outside American embassies across the globe makeshift shrines of candles and flowers have sprung up as people from Latvia to Switzerland, Paris to Russia, flock to show solidarity with America in the wake of Tuesday’s terrorist attack.
“It’s such a tragedy,” said Jolanta, a Polish bank employee, as she placed a candle on the pavement outside the US embassy in Warsaw. “We Poles share sympathy and solidarity with the American people.”
It was a sentiment repeated over and over again throughout Europe as shocked communities expressed their outrage and support for the US. In the Latvian capital of Riga, a note reading “America, your tragedy is our tragedy. We must find the killers,” was taped to a tree. Russians, many in tears, brought flowers – laid out in even numbers according to the Russian tradition of honouring the dead – and messages. “We pray for you, we want to help,” read one note.
Candles, flowers, cards and other mementos were left outside embassies in Norway, Finland and Denmark, and in Prague, President Vaclav Havel laid a bouquet alongside those of his fellow countrymen. Even Iran, Libya and Sudan – all on the US blacklist for sponsoring terrorism – offered condolences.
In London, where police had to move a growing mountain of messages, flowers and baseball caps into a marquee in a nearby park, Prince Charles became the first person to sign a book of condolences at the US embassy there during a special visit.
Despite earlier scenes of Palestinian jubilation over Tuesday’s events, there were also displays of solidarity and support from Palestinians, with children placing flowers and lighted candles in front of the US consulate, while others held up banners with the words: “We share the suffering of the American people”, and “Palestinians and Americans have the same enemy: terrorism”.
In a personal gesture of support, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat gave blood on Wednesday, as did Israeli premier Ariel Sharon. “We will give what we can for this tragedy,” said Arafat. “This is the beginning of a campaign by Palestinian people to donate blood.” In Israel, hundreds poured into first aid stations to donate.
Practical offers of support also came from Sweden, which has placed 80 trained rescue workers on standby, and Norway, which is offering tactical investigators, search teams with dogs and crisis psychiatry experts. Britain's Scotland-based International Rescue Corps - experts trained in how to save lives in devastating circumstances - is also on standby.
Finnish firefighters have expressed their sympathy to their US counterparts, and in Sweden a solidarity fund for firemen killed or injured in the rescue attempt has been set up. In Paris, Willy Preto, a 15-year veteran of the city’s fire department attending a memorial service said simply: “I’m here in solidarity with my brothers – the firefighters.”
As members of the international community attended religious services for the dead and their families, many countries held moments of silence. At the NATO headquarters in Brussels the flags of its 19 member nations flew at half mast, as did the national flag in Switzerland. Above the presidential palace in Estonia, the country’s flag flew side-by-side with the Stars and Stripes, both at half mast.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
