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France has declared a national state of emergency and has closed its borders after at least 40 people were killed in multiple shootings in Paris.
At least 15 people were killed near the Bataclan arts centre, where up to 60 people are being held hostage. Explosions and gunfire are reported.
Three people were killed in an attack near the Stade de France, with some reports suggesting a suicide blast.
Paris authorities have urged people to stay indoors.
Military personnel are being deployed across Paris.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/11/13/455943961/violence-reported-in-paris
http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/13/world/paris-shooting/index.html
Update #1 [BBC updates]:
Scores of people have been killed in multiple gun and bomb attacks in Paris
At least 100 people are reported to have died inside the Bataclan concert hall in central Paris
Others died in attacks near the Stade de France, where France were playing Germany, and at restaurants
France has declared a national state of emergency and has closed its borders
Paris residents have been asked to stay indoors and military personnel are being deployed across the city
[...] Reuters. quoting an un-named official at Paris City Hall, says the current death toll in Paris is around 140.
According to the Paris prosecutor, of the four assailants who died during the sidge at the Bataclan, three committed suicide by detonating explosive vests. The prosecutor has warned that some of their accomplices may "still be on the loose".
[...] Here is what French president François Hollande told reporters outside the Bataclan concert hall just now: "To all those who have seen these awful things, I want to say we are going to lead a war which will be pitiless. Because when terrorists are capable of committing such atrocities they must be certain that they are facing a determined France, a united France, a France that is together and does not let itself be moved, even if today we express infinite sorrow."
(Score: 4, Informative) by nishi.b on Saturday November 14 2015, @04:04AM
There are lots of policemen and even military (because of antiterror law) in Paris, all the time. The military are mostly in train stations, official buildings and major monuments (Eiffel tower, Notre-Dame de Paris...). All policemen in France are armed.
This happened in a place where there are a lot of restaurants and cafes, and there are many concert halls, theaters, movie theaters, museums in Paris.
It seems the attackers arrived in a car, got out and shot indiscriminately on people eating their dinner in the restaurants. Then they moved on to other places, and finally entered in a rock concert (4 of them it seems), shooting in the crowds and then anyone moving or just lying near them.
In the stadium outside Paris, they threw grenades inside a bar and a restaurant, and the terrorist blew himself up with an explosive belt. Inside the stadium was the french president, which might explain why the terrorist could not get inside the stadium where he might have done even more dammage.
Everywhere, people thought at first it was just fireworks (in a stadium or in a rock concert, this is not rare).
Now tell me how you can prevent that ? You cannot have a hundred armed military at every corner of a major city, and anyway they would be startled at first and not react immediatly.
I don't want my country to turn into a police state to avoid this, and as I say this I just learned that a family member was in the stadium, and a friend, his wife and kid were in a restaurant 200m one where the terrorist shot a dozen people.
Of course in the following days they will use all emergency state powers to advance the enquiry (police can now search any place and anyone in the country without a warrant for example), but we must keep our core values.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday November 14 2015, @12:49PM
"and anyway they would be startled at first and not react immediatly."
On that point, I will argue. Training, training, training. I've witnessed the result of training. At the sound of a small explosion, nearly 350 SLEEPING men bailed out of their beds, and raced to battle stations. The ship was at full state of readiness in record time, only 90 seconds. All battle stations manned, every man ready for action, we were only searching for a target. Alas - there was no target. The small explosion was the result of one of our own foolishly tossing a concussion grenade over the side, for shits and giggles.
It's part of that whole "fight or flight" thing. With the proper training, the tendency to freeze up, and the tendency for flight can be countered, and turned into a fight response. When a gun goes off, you run TOWARD THE GUN instead of taking cover or running away. The sound of a bomb pulls you TOWARD the explosion. Angry, loud voices pull you toward them.
It's alright to be startled, as long as your body reacts appropriately to being startled - that is, you advance on the source of your startlement. It may take two, ten, or sixty seconds for you to understand the situation, but your reactions are what count. Your understanding isn't necessary, until later.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 14 2015, @07:24PM
> I don't want my country to turn into a police state to avoid this,
That's the goal of the people who did the attacks. They want the clamp down. They want to make life untenable for everyone else - especially all of the regular muslims who are the best protection against further radicalization. When the state treats people like dogs, the anger and the loss of dignity eventually push more of them into becoming dogs. This is how ISIS co-opts France's government into waging war on moderates.
Every single person you see posting here who argues that this was caused by islam instead of by extremists is doing ISIS's bidding, they are comrades in ideology.