President François Hollande joined scores of other politicians and dignitaries from the Middle East, Africa and Europe to march alongside the Tunisian president, Beji Caid Essebsi, to the Bardo Museum in Tunis in response to an attack there 11 days ago in which 21 foreign tourists and one policeman were killed, reports The Guardian.
The march was organised by the Tunisian government to rally international support for the country and to raise the morale of Tunisians increasingly concerned by the sceptre of extremist violence.
Hundreds of thousands of people joined a longer march to the museum from the old city of Tunis, in echoes of the mass march in Paris following the Charlie Hebdo attacks this year.
“I came here today to challenge terrorism, to show the world that what happened at Bardo does not represent Tunisia,” said one protester, Samia Boukari, 32.
Streets were bedecked with Tunisian flags and banners proclaiming “Le monde est Bardo” (The world is with Bardo).
The attack on the museum on 18 March ended with the two gunmen shot dead by police. On Sunday the interior ministry said the leader of the group that organised the attack had been killed by the national guard in clashes late on Saturday.
Arriving at the entrance to the museum alongside Hollande, Caid Essebsi said: “Tunisians proved today they are not afraid of terrorism. When Tunisia is targeted, all Tunisians stand as one.”