On July 14 in the city of Nice, French citizens were celebrating Bastille Day, which commemorates the beginning of the French Revolution, when a large truck charged through the crowd for over a mile. Officials stated that at least 84 people, including children, were killed and 202 others have been injured by what has been regarded by France’s president, François Hollande, as a terrorist attack.
The attack ended when the driver, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, was shot and killed by the police. Officers said that the truck also contained a handgun, ammunition, a replica handgun, two replica assault rifles, and various documents.
Police are slowly beginning to identify those who died in the attack. Among the victims are Michael Pellegrini, an economics professor in France, who was there with his mother, Véronique Lyon, and his grandparents, Francis and Christine Locatelli. Three German women, two students and a teacher, have also been identified. Sean Copeland, 51, and his son Brodie, 11, who were from Texas, were also killed.
In a televised address, Hollande said, “The horror, the horror has once again hit France.” This attack came just eight months after the Paris terror attacks that shocked the whole world. “We will not give in to the terrorist threat. The times have changed, and France should learn to live with terrorism.”
Attacks like these make officials and citizens alike worried about their safety, and in spite of exhaustive measurements in order to protect the country, this most recent large-scale attack has proven that major attacks can still occur.
No Western country in the world is affected by terrorism as heavily as France is. Terrorism’s impact on France ranked globally at 36th in 2014, but that number has likely risen due to these recent attacks. The 31-year-old Tunisian delivery driver had a criminal record due to violence with a weapon and a number of petty crimes. He was also was mentally unstable, but had no apparent affiliation with radical ideologies. Despite this fact, ISIS took responsibility for the incident about 48 hours later, claiming that Bouhlel was one of their “soldiers.”
Hollande stated that the state of national emergency, which was originally placed after the November terror attacks and was supposed to be lifted on July 26, would instead be extended by three months and that more soldiers would be deployed for the safety of France’s citizens. Residents of Nice were warned to stay indoors and several planned events such as a five-day jazz festival and a Rihanna concert were cancelled. Prime Minister Manuel Valls said that France would observe three days of national mourning starting on Saturday.
This tragic event that killed nearly 100 people on one of the most important holidays in France serves as a reminder of the fear of terrorist groups and the horrifying attacks that have been occurring all over the world. Although it is difficult to know when and where such attacks are going to happen, it is important for countries and their citizens to take proper precautions in order to stay safe.
