On the evening of November 13, 2015 in Paris, France, a packed house of 1500 concert-goers were enjoying a performance by the American band — Eagles of Death Metal. The show was at the popular Bataclan theatre, which opened in that same location in 1865, and has hosted varied acts throughout the years such as Genesis and Jeff Buckley.
Just as the band began playing their song, “Kiss of the Devil”, around 9:30 p.m. that night, terrorists shouted “Allāhu akbar” (“God is greatest”) and began firing indiscriminately into the crowd, while simultaneously detonating two suicide belts. Some narrowly escaped through side doors or made it to the roof, but hundreds remained trapped inside. The extremists (later claimed by The Islamic State) took the survivors hostage, and by the time the horror ended nearly three hours later, 89 people had been killed and over 200 were wounded. Two more attendees would die later from their injuries.
This was the largest of six coordinated attacks around the city that same night. The death toll from all attacks totaled 138, with 416 people injured.
The motive to harm all of these innocent civilians? To take revenge against the French government for their counter-terrorism airstrikes in Syria and Iraq.
Britannica defines terrorism as “The calculated use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and thereby to bring about a particular political objective”.
From the Gestapo’s tortures during World War II, to the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11, to the Hamas-led attack on Israel last year, acts of terrorism continue to take lives and cause further unrest.
On the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, observed on August 21st, we look to find hope for a more peaceful future.
The U.N. Observance
Adopted in 2017 to “honour and support the victims and survivors of terrorism and to promote and protect the full enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms”, the day inspires us to join together for a better tomorrow.
The United Nations Global Counter Terrorism Strategy, facilitated by Member State representatives in Canada and Tunisia, will enter a ninth review of progress in 2026.
Eco-Terrorism
A few years back, when the act of throwing liquids on precious paintings and treasured artwork became a despicable trend, we wrote about how those tactics were proven to be ineffective at achieving their perceived goal. Unfortunately, the word hasn’t gotten out and that destructive behaviour continues, only lessening the credibility of true activists who must now work even harder to be heard.
There is, however, a more sinister version of eco-terrorism that endangers lives—arson.
One of the worst eco-terrorism events of this type took place in 1998 in Vail, Colorado. A radical environmental group called the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) was angry with Vail Mountain Ski Resort because they were planning to further develop their property. The ELF thought this pending expansion would lessen the chances of survival for a lynx population that was set to be reintroduced in the area.
On the evening of October 19th that year, the ELF drenched buildings at the resort and surrounding areas in accelerant and lit multiple fires. This terrified people on and near the property, and destroyed three buildings and four chairlifts. Though thankfully no lives were lost, the damage caused was estimated to be between $12 and $24 million dollars.
All but one of the criminals involved were soon taken into custody and charged with arson. Several went to prison; none achieved their goal.
The resort rebuilt what was lost (making the new structure even larger); continued with their planned expansion; and spoiler alert: The lynx reintroduction by The Colorado Division of Wildlife was declared a success despite their new development.
The act of eco-terrorism was all for nothing.
Human Rights Violations
In the first 3 months of Russia’s war on Ukraine, over 200 cases of enforced disappearances (i.e. kidnapping/hostage-taking) were reported.
In Syria, since 2011, over 80,000 cases of enforced disappearances have been reported.
Whether they impact 1 or 100,000 people, these human rights violations are also considered acts of terrorism and despite efforts from law enforcement and government intervention, many sadly continue.
In addition to the areas mentioned above, Zimbabwe, Iran and other high-risk areas of political conflict have reported similar crimes in recent years.
How to Help or Receive Support
It may seem like an insurmountable issue, but there are ways that we can take action to help promote peace, and there are also resources to help victims heal:
Amnesty International works tirelessly to combat terrorism in all forms.
Life After Hate uses evidence-based interventions to help people break free from violence and hate.
The Government of the United Kingdom has a website to both support victims of terrorism and places to report suspected terrorist activity.
The U.S. Government has a program called “If You See Something, Say Something”, which helps identify and report suspicious behaviours.
The Victims of Mass Violence and Terrorism Toolkit helps individuals and communities navigate the aftermath of violent acts.
On this day of remembrance, we can also take a moment to reflect on the victims of terrorism… to mourn those who lost their lives and support the resilience of the survivors who remain as they heal and rebuild their lives.
To someday arrive at a place of harmony within our humanity, Peace must Prevail…
“Holocaust Memorial” © Julian Lennon, 2017. This photo is included in Julian’s forthcoming fine art photography coffee table book, “Life’s Fragile Moments.”. You may pre-order the book here.
Eye opening & interesting & needed to be said …Violence is NEVER the answer & innocent people are hurt or killed…thank you for the complete facts about so much violence & hate & destruction sometimes we forget & stay too much in our own little world🙏praying for this to stop & for all the victims🙏
Thank you for honoring all these victims of terrorism. Also, thanks for all the links, we are living in horrendous times and we all need to get involved and stay strong.