Paris attack victims remembered at Sept. 11 memorial ceremony

Americans and tourists from around the world raised the French flag on Monday afternoon as "La Marseillaise" played over loud speakers at the September 11th Memorial, where flowers were laid at the plaza's surviving tree recovered after the 9/11 attacks -- a symbol of resilience against terrorism and hopefully an inspiration for the French.

"This tree after 9/11 miraculously is still alive, nursed back to life and placed here as a symbol of remembrance and rebirth . . . to combat terrorism and regain faith," said Craig Stapleton, former U.S. ambassador to France, who addressed the afternoon crowd of several hundred Monday.

"We stand here in solidarity, remembering how France stood next to us saying 'We are New York. We are American,' after 9/11," said Stapleton, who described Friday's terrorist attacks on innocent civilians in Paris as the "deadliest on French soil'' since World War II.

"This is a place of hope where New York City rebuilt itself and showed us an example of resolve. . . . Long live America and France," said Stapleton, who is a Sept. 11 memorial board member.

People carried bouquets of blue mums and red and white roses; crossed themselves and said quiet prayers before laying the flowers at the base of the tree, which was recovered from the rubble after the collapse of the Twin Towers.

Tourist Michelle Aich, 43, of Paris, one of those attending the memorial, said she was moved by the show of support. "This is very emotional for us," she said. "France is not alone. We all have to do something because all the capitals of the world must be protected.''

Aich's son, Michael, 29, said: "It is very emotional to be standing here in front of the memorial in a place where so many died and to think about Paris. . . . The American people are very good people."

Joel Shapiro of Manhattan, who lost his wife, Sareve Dukat, on 9/11, stood in somber remembrance holding the French flag.

"I stand here from the viewpoint of the victim," he said before the ceremony. "This is another act of random violence against the innocent who were in the wrong place at the wrong time by no fault of their own," he said referring to the Paris terrorist attacks.

"We cannot stop this," he said of the suicide terrorists. "We can only respond with random acts of kindness that will have us take back our agenda . . . and that agenda is civilization."