News

Inspiring Bastille Day Memes And Tributes

by Morgan Brinlee

Update: According to the latest reports, at least 84 people were killed in the attack in Nice, France, and over 180 are injured. Of the wounded, François Hollande, the president of France, said on Friday there are 50 victims “in between life and death." After an emergency meeting of French security and defense officials, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said: "Terrorism is a threat that weighs heavily upon France and will continue to weigh for a long time. We are facing a war that terrorism has brought to us." Among the victims, who were celebrating the French holiday of Bastille Day, were a number of tourists, including two Americans, Sean Copelend and his 11-year-old son, Brodie. To help victims of the Bastille Day attack, you can contribute to verified fundraisers or donate blood.

Earlier: Dozens of people have been reported dead Thursday after a truck plowed into a crowd watching Bastille Day fireworks in Nice, leaving France shocked and mourning as the national holiday comes to an end. These Bastille Day memes and tributes honor those who have died. Not long after news of the incident broke, tributes to Nice and France began to pour in via social media, with people around the world offering their condolences and support.

At least 60 people were expected to have been killed when a driver swerved into a large crowd gathered along Nice's Promenade des Anglais, driving for more than 100 yards, a spokesperson from the French interior ministry told NPR. An additional hundred people have been reported injured, according to Reuters. Police were reportedly forced to shoot and kill the driver in an effort to bring the truck to a stop. Speaking from the scene to France Info radio, Nice regional president described the incident as "a scene of horror," the Associated Press reported.

News of Thursday's tragedy in Nice sparked expressions of shock and speculation over whether the incident was terror-related on Twitter as people attempted to digest what had happened. Amid the speculation, however, were tweets of grief, mourning, and support as social media users sought to honor those lost.

It is a sad day for France.