This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UPR chapter.
By now you have probably heard about the terrorist attacks in Paris on November 13. After the first attacks, people flew to social media for answers; everyone was quick to point fingers and misleading information was rampant. Not to worry, collegiettes, yours truly has done her extensive research and here I give you the real facts about last night’s events.
Firstly there were 6 attacks. These were in il Stade de France, Petit Cambodge Reataurant, Bataclan Concert Hall, Rue Faidherbe, Rue de Charonne, and Boulevard Beaumarchais.
The basic facts are as follows:
- This is the first time since 1944 that France has declared a state of emergency and closed off its borders.
- There were a total of around 140 deaths. Of those, roughly 100 happened in the Bataclan Concert hall.
- Six attacks. The biggest one was at the Bataclan Concert Hall, where two to three men (not confirmed) entered the concert hall while the band Eagles of Death Metal was playing. The band heard the first gunshots and exited the concert hall immediately. The men, who came in with rifles, began shooting aimlessly at the crowd, killing at least 100 people. They held the crowd hostage until the French police was able to infiltrate and kill the terrorists.
- The second attack was at the Stade de France, a stadium in which France and Germany were having a friendly football match. Sometime during the game, two suicide bombers set off their explosives outside the stadium. The sounds of the explosions could be heard over the crowd’s cheering. France’s president François Hollande was present during the game, but was evacuated during half-time.
- The third attack was at a restaurant called Petit Cambodge (Little Cambodia).
- The french people started a hashtag on Twitter (#Porteouverte which means open door) for people who were out in the streets, letting them know their homes were safe and they could stay there.
- ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and Levant, also known as ISIS) took responsibility for the attacks and claims were made that this was only the beginning of the storm. So far, no other attacks have happened and there probably won’t be. Don’t panic.
- The only reason for the attacks that ISIL mentioned was that they were getting back at France for getting into their territory. They mention in their message that France’s planes didn’t help them in their own soil, making reference to the war planes sent to Syria.
- PARIS WAS NOT THE ONLY COUNTRY ATTACKED THIS WEEK. Amidst the chaos, we cannot forget that Paris is not the only country that has suffered a terrorist attack. Beirut and Lebanon were also victims of horrendous terrorist attacks. In Beirut, a suicide bomber left 43 dead and more than 240 wounded. In Baghdad, Lebanon, suicide bombers left 19 dead and 33 wounded. All three attacks have been claimed by ISIL.
- Among the governments that have shown full support against the ISIL attacks are Germany, Great Britain, Russia and the United States. Not only this but the world has shown support. Many countries have lit up their national monuments with the French flag’s colors.
- Sidenote: Half of what people say in social networks isn’t right. If you want to look for more information, look for trusted sources. NYTimes is a good choice.
The important thing here, collegiettes, is that we don’t forget that these attacks weren’t just on Paris. ISIL targeted three countries and the fact that they are not considered first world countries, doesn’t mean we should leave them out of the media as if their attacks aren’t just as important as Paris’ attacks. We can’t just pray for Paris, we should pray for the world. And if you’re not religious, at the very least remember to send your good vibes to the world. We deserve a world rid of war and well informed people.
We also can’t forget that this isn’t something we should blame on Muslims. Islam isn’t a religion of war. It is not a religion that promotes killing innocents. Studies have shown that Muslims are actually the victims of these attacks in most cases.
The injustice towards Muslims is shown through the Hitler era. No one blames the concentration camps on Christianity, even though the phobia towards the Jews arose because according to their bible, the aryan race was superior to any other. Islam cannot be blamed for these attacks if Christianity isn’t blamed for the concentration camps in Germany. Let’s treat each other with respect and love always. ❤️
Pray for the world, collegiettes. We need it.