A French flag flew at half-mast at the cathedral. In Central Sydney, strangers greeted each other, and even shared umbrellas as they gathered in Martin Place which has become symbolic after the Lindt Cafe siege from December 15-16, 2014.
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The president also pledged support for France and emphasized the bonds of common history that the United States shares with France.
American authorities have said that there is no known domestic threat related to the Paris attacks, but officials across the country are taking precautionary measures.
“It’s also a way to demonstrate we will continue to live, we will continue to fight for what we believe are our values, not with weapons, just with resilience”, she said.
New York’s Metropolitan Opera led by star tenor Placido Domingo mourned the almost 130 victims of France’s worst-ever such attacks with an unscheduled performance of the distinctive French national anthem.
Another memorial service will be held at St Mary’s Cathedral on Monday night. People gathered outside the French Embassy with special messages and flowers to pay their respects.
In Melbourne and Darwin, French expats and Australians gathered to pray for those affected by the terrorist attacks.
British Prime Minister David Cameron called what happened in Paris “a horrifying and sickening attack” and cautioned the British people against an attack at home. The Adelaide Oval, Brisbane’s Story Bridge and Perth’s Council House also saw crowds gather as they were lit up in French tricolour. The Prince of Wales marked his 67th birthday with a BBQ in Cottesloe on Saturday.
In a conversation with reporters on Friday night, NY City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that he had been briefed on the attacks and that, while there were no specific threats against the city, the NY Police Department would bolster security. Others chose to go dark in memory of the people who lost their lives in the attack.
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Singer Madonna paid a tearful tribute to the victims on stage by singing the classic French song “La vie en rose”, accompanied only by a guitar, during a concert in Stockholm.
