Students to hold vigil for terror attack victims
A man lights a candle which forms a peace sign during a candlelight vigil for the Paris attacks Wednesday in the town square of Molenbeek, Belgium. After a Wednesday morning raid in the Paris suburb of Saint Denis, authorities could not immediately confirm whether Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a Belgian Islamic State militant, was killed or arrested. Both Abaaoud and the Abdeslam brothers, that also participated in the attacks, grew up in the same neighborhood of Molenbeek.
November 18, 2015
NIU students will hold a candle light vigil Thursday for the victims of recent terror attacks in several countries.
More than 300 people have died in terror attacks this year in Beirut, Kenya and France, the latter of which occurred Friday. Anne Seitzinger, NIU Study Abroad director, confirmed an NIU student studying in Paris was safe as of Monday.
The vigil will be held to raise awareness of world events and promote peace, according to an NIU announcement.
“These student leaders believe that it is important for students at NIU and the local community to take an active approach in this turbulent time to show support to those that have suffered from recent terror attacks,” the announcement reads. “The vigil is focused on bring people together, regardless of race, ethnicity or religious background, to promote peace and awareness.”
The event will start at 6 p.m. in the Martin Luther King Jr. Commons.
Gov. Bruce Rauner, along with more than governors of 31 states, has announced he will block the flow of Syrian refugees coming into Illinois. The United States has admitted 1,500 of the more than four million Syrian refugees, according to Refugee One, an organization that assists refugees sent to Chicago for resettlement.
“Our nation and our state have a shared history of providing safe haven for those displaced by conflict, but the news surrounding the Paris terror attacks reminds us of the all-too-real security threats facing America,” Rauner said, according to a news release. “We must find a way to balance our tradition as a state welcoming of refugees while ensuring the safety and security of our citizens.”