Thousands of people gathered in San Francisco on Sunday to remember the victims of the terror attacks on the Charlie Hebdo offices and the Hyper Casher kosher market in Paris — and to make a stand for Freedom of Speech.
The rally took place at San Francisco’s Civic Center, in front of City Hall. Many people held up copies of Charlie Hebdo Mohammed cartoons to show they would not be bullied into silence by terror.
At 2:30 there was a moment of silence as the crowd — probably numbering somewhere between one and two thousand – memorialized the victims without the need for fiery speeches.
The signs said everything that needed saying.
One militant atheist not only cursed Mohammed, but every other religious figure and deity — real or fictional.
Most signs weren’t specifically about religion, but a few lampooned the Muslim terrorists and Islam.
The most extreme sign of the day appeared only briefly — I didn’t even notice it until I uploaded the pictures later and saw it emerging above the heads of the crowd.
Even the local French-speaking Algerians seemed miffed at Islamic extremism.
A Jewish police officer made a stand.
The crowd was a sea of “Je Suis Charlie” signs.
The rally was timed to coincide with a massive million-strong rally — the largest ever in the history of France — that was also held in Paris on Sunday.
People want the freedom to LOL without limit!
It was the first time in years that I’d attended a rally in San Francisco and actually felt in agreement with the protesters.
San Francisco is Charlie!
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