BRUSSELS (AP) – A pedestrian strip outside the stock exchange in Brussels became a colorful canvas of support and defiance after Tuesday’s deadly bombings as those wanting to show solidarity chalked messages in everything from local French to Asian script.
A few thousand people were gathered at Brussels’ Place de la Bourse late Tuesday to draw more messages and lay candles. One group broke into Edith Piaf’s “Hymne a L’amour” (Hymn to Love) as onlookers applauded. Many of the drawings were joyous, with slogans like “spread love,” ”Live and Let Live” and “we are one.” Others took a more defiant tone, but the vibe was generally upbeat.
But at the margins, there was sadness. One woman sat against a concrete planter at the edge of the square and sobbed quietly.