France pays homage to victims of deadly Nice attack

By Hajer M'tiri

PARIS (AA) - French President Emmanuel Macron, high officials, artists, survivors and families of victims attended Friday's commemoration in honor of the victims of last year's deadly Nice attack.

Eighty-six people were killed, including 10 children, and more than 450 injured after a terrorist drove a truck into French crowds celebrating Bastille Day and watching a fireworks display from the Promenade des Anglais last July 14 in the southern city of Nice.

The ceremony started with the interpretation by a choir of children of Nissa la Bella, the hymn of the city, before a minute of silence.

The mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi said in a speech: "It was a year ago, France was struck by barbarity [... ]here in Nice."

Macron paid homage to the solidarity of the French people in the face of the attack and said: "We forgot the name of this murderous anonymous [the terrorist] but we remember the names" of those killed.

According to the Interior Ministry, more than 130,000 security and emergency service workers have been deployed during this year's Bastille Day celebrations.

France has been under a state of emergency since the aftermath of the November 2015 terrorist attacks across Paris which left over 100 people dead.

Macron has vowed to end the state of emergency by Nov. 1 this year.