Keith Stone, staff writer
People around the world are circling their online wagons following recent terrorist attacks around the world that left 130 people dead and more than 350 people injured in Paris alone.
For example, Enda Kenny, an Irish politician, tweeted that, “This is a shocking attack on humanity. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and families. We stand with France tonight.”
He is far from alone. In the immediate hours and days following the Paris attacks, Facebook was overcome by thousands of vertical blue, white, and red filters placed on profile pictures. People showed their solidarity with the French people as they changed their pictures to represent the French flag.

The international crusade doesn’t end abroad however. At Beverly, hundreds of students have participated by changing their profile pictures or by posting lengthy statuses expressing their feelings about the attack.
Junior Ethan Harris was not alone in his sentiment that, “France is our oldest ally, of course we’re going to focus on them…While it is vitally important that we do report every other tragedy…it is just as important for us to back up our closest allies, regardless of how much spotlight they get.”
This movement had a profound effect on many people, including some French Beverly students.
“I feel like people are somewhat feeling the pain that I felt and that even though they aren’t French that they support me all the way,” junior Sacha Sarfati said.
However, as Facebook was blanketed with supporting statuses and pictures, not every observer felt satisfied with this social campaign.
Some, like junior Ariel Moaddel, felt that Paris was attracting a lot of attention when “Israel has had more civilians killed by the same terrorists this year but that goes unnoticed…No one changed their profile pictures to their flag colors.”
However, as the rest of the world steps up attacks on the terrorist organization responsible, ISIL, the citizens of Paris have most of the world behind them.

See the rest of this package:

“Effects of Paris terrorism ripple through Beverly” by Evan Minniti

“Normans react to global rash of terrorist attacks” by Nirav Desai