English soccer fans saluted France on Tuesday by roaring out La Marseillaise national anthem at a friendly match that became a show of solidarity just days after Islamic State militants struck Paris.
David Cameron, Prince William and London mayor Boris Johnson were in the stands as tens of thousands of England supporters joined French fans in singing their anthem at Wembley Stadium, which was guarded by armed police.
An estimated 80,000 fans then applauded wildly as the two teams stood together in one long line ahead of a minute’s silence for the 129 people who were killed in the Paris attacks.
The words of the French national anthem were displayed on large screens, the stadium’s arch was lit up in the blue, white and red of the French tricolour and supporters on both sides carried French flags and messages such as “Pray for Paris”.
"Seeing Wembley in blue, white and red gives me goosepimples," said Eric Lavaud, a 55-year-old France supporter who travelled from St Tropez for the match.
"We know that the English are going to be welcoming . . . for the first time in history," said Lavaud, who was at the Stade de France on Friday for the friendly with Germany that was the scene of one of the attacks.
“We are not scared.”
Explosions at that match between France and Germany on Friday signalled the beginning of the worst attack on Europe since the 2004 Madrid bombings.
French president Francois Hollande was at that match.
A French player lost his cousin in Friday’s violence and the side stayed overnight in the Stade de France with the German team as a security precaution.
However, the French soccer federation said it was important the game with England went ahead.
Unity
British prime minister David Cameron said it was important for Britain to stand side-by-side with its neighbour.
“Now, more than ever, we must come together and stand united and carry on with the way of life that we know and that we love,” he told parliament.
“This match is going ahead.”
Fans applauded as wreaths were laid by Prince William and the managers of the two teams.
Police had urged supporters to arrive early due to additional security searches and said there would be “extra, highly-visible, armed officers” patrolling Wembley.
While common in European countries like France, armed police are generally rarely seen in Britain, but they have taken on more of a profile in recent years due to fears of Islamist militancy.
"We'll sing along and it's going to be one of those evenings that will be very poignant," said Paul Lloyd, a 52-year-old England supporter.
“I just think that we’ve all got to come together against terrorism and they’re not going to stop us living our lives and being who we are. They won’t win.”
A match between Belgium and Spain due to take place in Brussels, where police have carried out raids in the wake of the Paris attacks, has been postponed for security reasons, after the government advised against going ahead.
Ahead of the Wembley match, during which players wore black armbands, French coach Didier Deschamps said his side would play England with "even more pride" .
England manager Roy Hodgson said the match would be like no other he had played before.
“I really can’t imagine how this game is going to go and what sort of football is going to be played, quite simply because I’ve never been in this situation before,” he said.
Reuters