Rabat is Paris: Moroccans show solidarity with Paris victims

More than 150 Moroccans plan to attend the 'Rabat is Paris' rally in the Moroccan capital next Friday to show solidarity with victims of the terrorist attacks on Paris.
2 min read
16 November, 2015
Assailants detonated explosives and shot over 100 civilians in six coordinated attacks [Getty]
More than 150 Moroccans have responded to an invitation by Morocco's Sortir Magazine to gather in a rally in Rabat and show solidarity with the victims of the terrorist attacks that hit Paris on Friday.

The event, scheduled to be held on 20 November at Rabat's National Library plaza, was called for on the magazine's Facebook page.

"Join us at the National Library plaza to show our solidarity with France in mourning and our support for all the victims and their families in these terrible times," the organisers said on the event page.

What about Palestine? Iraq? Syria? Or should we only pray for those who burn our holy book or those who beat up Muslims as they leave their mosques?
"We would like to stress that this event is not a demonstration, it is only a peaceful rally."

The event page has been criticised by Moroccans who disagreed with the idea of the rally, with less than 160 out of the nearly 1,000 people invited confirming their attendance, especially since no rallies were organised for the other countries that had been hit by terrorist attacks.

"What about Palestine? Iraq? Syria? Or should we only pray for those who burn our holy book or those who beat up Muslims as they leave their mosques?" one user replied in a comment. "Take action to show that you are against terrorism, but not just for France."

"Rabat is Rabat!" another user said.

On Sunday, a video of the Quran being burnt surfaced on the internet, sparking outrage among Muslims in Morocco and other countries.

The terrorist attacks that took place on Friday night in Paris, later claimed by members of the Islamic State group, have left 129 people dead and over 350 wounded.

Suicide bombers and armed men detonated explosives and shot over 100 civilians in six coordinated attacks that began with an explosion at Stade de France, where the French president was watching an exhibition soccer match between the French and German national teams.