Eiffel Tower To Light Up In Belgian Flag's Colors In Solidarity With Brussels Victims

[news]

[news]

The Eiffel Tower will light up in the colors of the Belgian flag Tuesday night in a show of solidarity following the early morning terrorist attacks in Brussels that killed at least 34 people and injured nearly 200 others. 

The tower will be lit in the black, yellow and red of the Belgian flag at the request of Paris' Mayor Anne Hidalgo, read a statement on the monument’s official website Tuesday.

Hidalgo on Tuesday tweeted her support for the people of Belgium. She wrote: "As an act of solidarity with the residents of Brussels, #Paris will illuminate the Eiffel Tower tonight with the colors of the Belgian flag. #WeAreUnited"

En solidarité avec les Bruxellois, #Paris illuminera ce soir @LaTourEiffel aux couleurs du drapeau belge. #NousSommesUnis
— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) March 22, 2016

French President Francois Hollande also spoke out. "I've expressed my solidarity with the Belgian people. Terrorists struck Brussels but it was Europe that was targeted," he wrote on Twitter after the attacks. 

The tower will be lit from nightfall until 1 a.m. local time. It is typically illuminated each night and sparkles its lights for five minutes on the hour, but on Tuesday night, in a sign of mourning, it won't sparkle.

 


The monument often takes on colors significant to celebrations and holidays, like glowing with red lights for Chinese New Year in 2004 or twinkling green lights for the Rugby World Cup in 2007. 

But in the immediate aftermath of the deadly Paris terror attacks in November that left 129 dead, the tower went dark for a night. Days later, it was illuminated again with the red, white and blue colors of the French flag and a projection of Paris' city motto, "Fluctuat Nec Mergitur": tossed by the waves but does not sink.

READ MORE:

• Even After Deadly Attacks, We’re Stronger Together
  
• Internet Fights Back Against Brussels Terror With Love
  
• Harrowing Video Shows Train Evacuation After Brussels Attacks
  
• 2016 Presidential Candidates React To Brussels Terror Attacks
  
• U.S. Cities Tighten Security After Deadly Brussels Attack
  
• Tintin And Snowy Weep For Belgium
  
• Celebrities React With Sadness And Outrage To Brussels Attacks
  
• Airline Stocks Plunge After Bomb Attacks In Brussels
  
• ‘Black Day For Europe’: Leaders React To Brussels Attacks
  
• Obama On Brussels Attacks: 'We Must Be Together' To Fight Terrorism

For additional coverage in French, visit Le Huffington Post and their live blog; For coverage in German, visit HuffPost Germany; For coverage in Spanish, visit HuffPost Spain; For coverage in Arabic, visit HuffPost Arabi.  

 
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