Just a few hours after gunman killed at least 12 people in a terrorist attack on the offices of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday morning, Twitter users started showing their support with the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie.
President Barack Obama issued a statement condemning the attacks on Wednesday, as did MPAA Chairman Chris Dodd, novelist Salman Rushdie and Russian President Vladimir Putin, while others took to social media with their grief and outrage.
Notable people from French president François Hollande to Hollywood actor Elijah Wood and media personality Piers Morgan attached #JeSuisCharlie — “I am Charlie” — to their 140-character reactions.
As of early Wednesday afternoon, the hashtag has already been tweeted out of 650,000 times.
Here’s how Charlie Hebdo’s official Twitter account responded (“Best wishes, by the way”):
Meilleurs vœux, au fait. pic.twitter.com/a2JOhqJZJM
— Charlie Hebdo (@Charlie_Hebdo_) January 7, 2015
Below are the rest of the notable Twitter reactions:
I am heartbroken by the loss of life and attack on freedom of expression. #JeSuisCharlie
— Julianne Moore (@_juliannemoore) January 7, 2015
https://twitter.com/rosemcgowan/status/552880097028345856
My thoughts are with the victims and their families in Paris. #CharlieHebdo #JeSuisCharlie
— Elijah Wood (@elijahwood) January 7, 2015
I deleted a silly tweet because I've just read about the terrible events in Paris. #JeSuisCharlie
— Hugh Laurie (@hughlaurie) January 7, 2015
The murders in Paris are sickening. We stand with the French people in the fight against terror and defending the freedom of the press.
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) January 7, 2015
What a tremendous loss. A free press is our greatest weapon against tyranny, home and abroad. #JeSuisCharlie pic.twitter.com/QTytTkGT4b
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) January 7, 2015
Paris now: #JeSuisCharlie pic.twitter.com/16ZTBXDImK
— Lammert de Bruin (@lammert) January 7, 2015
Again, we are reminded of the need for a free and fearless press,of the raw courage of so many journalists around the world #JeSuisCharlie
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) January 7, 2015
Dear extremist nutjobs: if you truly believe your God is vengeful, then he will do all the work for you. Sit this one out. #JeSuisCharlie
— Keith Powell (@KeithPowell) January 7, 2015
The pen is mightier than the sword. #JeSuisCharlie
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 7, 2015
I'm a Muslim journalist. Although I disagree w/ anti-Islam cartoons, my faith compels me to respect the rights of others. #JeSuisCharlie
— sarah suzuki harvard car dealership (@amyharvard_) January 7, 2015
Les journalistes de @lalibrebe et @ladh se mobilisent pour Charlie Hebdo #JeSuisCharlie http://t.co/wty7jmiI9X pic.twitter.com/egpeDqHHPy
— La Libre (@lalibrebe) January 7, 2015
Despite misleading press reports, there are no plans to close the U.S. Embassy in Paris or other diplomatic facilities in France.
— U.S. Embassy France (@USEmbassyFrance) January 7, 2015
PM: We stand united with the French people in our opposition to all forms of terrorism & stand squarely for free speech and democracy #PMQs
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) January 7, 2015
PM: Angela Merkel and I met today. We are united in our condemnation of the horrific #Paris murders: http://t.co/45jjOoGTGl
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) January 7, 2015
French Prime Minsiter François Hollande’s tweet translates into “No barbaric act will never extinguish the freedom of the press. We are a united country.”
Aucun acte barbare ne saura jamais éteindre la liberté de la presse. Nous sommes un pays unis qui saura réagir et faire bloc.
— François Hollande (@fhollande) January 7, 2015
Ideas are more dangerous. RT @cog_ink: It's a hell of a time we live in, when men with guns feel threatened by men with a pen and a brush.
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) January 7, 2015
The French will not take this sitting down. Crowds forming in Paris in a demonstration of solidarity #JeSuisCharlie pic.twitter.com/6ujWYix7Ba
— Mikey Kay ??????? (@MikeyKayNYC) January 7, 2015
#JeSuisCharlie tribute to #CharlieHebdo at #AFP news room in Paris pic.twitter.com/B1WilDziQk
— Stephanie Garcia (@sgarciaAFP) January 7, 2015