13 November 2015: To everyone, we are safe. We passed through République around 22.30, but apart from people with hollow eyes and many questions, it was very quiet. The streets are empty, Paris has never been so quiet.

14 November 2015: Yesterday, 13 November 2015, 22.39. Stuck in metro line 9 under République, Oberkampf. Empty station; a few people say there is an incident above us, and there would be 3 casualties. In a restaurant, I hear later, when the metro continues its way. When we get out of the metro, I hear someone at a mobile phone speaking about 7 victims. At midnight in photographer Yves Gareto's studio, everyone is looking at his mobile phone, his party is a very silent one. Meanwhile the number of casualties raises every minute.

Please leave the metro; get out the metro, there has been an incident; get in the metro again; cannot be a suicide or train accident, the communication is too confused; a lady says: 'they announce 3 casualties, here at République-Oberkampf'. We step in the next train that arrives empty, shortly stops and opens it doors. Not sure that was the idea...

At the photographer's party we were heading too: it's around midnight; it's clear there has been a terrorist attack. 7 casualties, more than 10; at the moment I take this image with my mobile phone, some sources speak about more than 30 casualties. Everyone follows the news on his mobile phone. The party is dead.

 
15 November 2015: Today, the streets and parks are full of people, thecity lives again. The Place de la République is over crowded. People are singing, hugging, giving messages, bringing flowers. Many are still very touched.
I take some photos. I walk towards the Bataclan. The streets are closed for press and public. People grieve. I speak with a girl who lost a dear friend in the Bataclan. I see black, brown, yellow, white people with tears in their eyes.

At one moments I get angry: an Arab man with his wife passes by, photographing and filming the scene with his mobile phone. And laughing, grinning, laughing, with an arrogant attitude. No one seems to see them, everyone is stuck in his world. When he passes in front of me, I point my camera to the man and look him in the eyes. He doesn't see me immediately. Then he turns around, looks at me, me at him, two, three times. He disappears with his wife. I speak to an agent. "You find assholes everywhere, sir." the I see another Arab man with his 3 year old daughter. Full of emotion, full of respect. As many other Muslims. Luckily.

A man tells me that that is where the Syrian refugees run away from. Every day again. 'Don't point the wrong people.'

Back on Place de la République, a black man holds a panel. Congo: 6 millions deaths. 36.000 times the amount of victims than here in Paris. He says the Paris attacks are atrocious and unforgivable. But he asks not to forget his country too. I promise him I would share his message. Hey, world!

Time to get home. I am tired, I feel like a sand corn in the desert, but I'm proud, I feel that on a micro level, my texts and photos can mean something. Spreading the message of hope, cooperation, solidarity, democracy is all we can do. And if necessary, stand up and fight terror with the means we can morally defend.

Saturday 14 November:

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: Geert Stadeus, Snoeck's chief editor in metro linea 8 at Place de la République

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: metro station République

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks; that's how I felt...

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: 2 American girls

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: "Of course, I'll testify!"

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: teenage boys

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: staring, minutes long...

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: everyone is mourning

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: minutes and minutes, staring in the flames

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: the press interviews

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: candles for peace

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: you cannot start young enough sharing your values

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: I cannot agree more, as long as "books" doesn't loose its 's'.

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks...

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: for many minutes, this man was sitting there, without moving

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: an American with links to the Middle-East: 'After your portrait, please give me a private moment.' Of course, of course!

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: an artist, he brought his music box and played John Lennon singing "Imagine"

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: Hamadi defends the values of freedom, pluralism and democracy with eloquency and passion. I feel there is still hope :-)

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: Hamadi in front of the statue of Marianne, symbol of the French republic

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: A German lady, visiting Paris for the Paris photo fair

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: interviews, of course

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: respect

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: bringing candles

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks: resist is learning the sense of criticism

Place de la République, 14 November 2015, the day after the attacks

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: paper boats and candles at the 'Fluctuat nec mergitur' motto of Paris: "Tossed but not sunk"

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: "Tossed but not sunk"

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: multicultural Paris is mourning

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: is Western European coexistence in danger?

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: the Chinese community shows their sympathy

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: Marianne, symbol of the République

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: "Terror to better dominate us! Let's resist. Let's work. Let's go out. Let's have fun. If not, let's already buy djellabas and niqabs"

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: can a hug protect?

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: norwithstanding the prohibition of manifestation, thousands of people are on the streets today, especially on Place de la République

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: "Love will win"

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: "I come to show my sympathy with my new country"

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: "No fear", a slogan that pops up at many places

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: the streets at the Bataclan are closed for press and public

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: people of all ages come to express their condoleances

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: many bring flowers

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: flower power, hopefully it will help :-)

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: artist make paintings, drawings, write poems and songs

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: models, actors, book keepers, business people, unemployed, all pass by

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: candles for Baptiste, Yannick, Christopher,...

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: people have lost family, friends, loves

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: remember the good ones

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: piles of flowers near the Bataclan

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: sensitive people of all religions, all races, all ages

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: people filming and laughing, minutes long; I hope it is a way to deal with their grieve...

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: a policeman says me: "you have ...(rather strong word for people not exactly showing respect) everywhere, sir"

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: she lost someone very dear; he was there to stand by her

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: the entrance of the Oberkampf metro station is still closed

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: 'Marianne' still surrounded by a large crowd; people sing, speak, sometimes shout; today is so much louder than yesterday

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: candles, candles, candles

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: flags from countries who lost inhabitants

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: young people wondering why

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: kids

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: all religions

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: flowers for them who won't come back

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: "Don't bend, stay proud and free"

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: the painting of the young man found its place at Marianne's feet

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: Yohana from Argentina

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: it's night, the people slowly go home again

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: 'Flucuat nec mergitur', Tossed but not sunk

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: a military salute at the statue of Marianne

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: holding each other

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: "6 million killed in Congo: Western politics are a failure"

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: John expresses his condoleances to the French victims, but asks not to forget the millions killed in Congo: A Paris killing a day, during ... 100 years...

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: every victim is one too much

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: sit in for peace

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: candles...

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: "God doesn't exist. Freedom, laicity"

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: Coexistence between Christians, Jews and Muslims

Place de la République, 15 November 2015, the second day after the attacks: "terrified faces", an exhibition in the museum of the romantic life: poster in the metro station of "Republique", under the place of the events...