Atlantans hold vigil outside French consulate in Buckhead

About 20 people stood outside the French consulate in Buckhead Saturday evening, in front of an impromptu memorial that included flowers, photos and a peace sign.

Genette Ashby-Beach of Atlanta said she had studied and taught in France.

"I've had a long love of France," she said. "This is horrific. We need to find a way to address the world's problems. We need to find peace in Syria, Iraq and Israel. Until we do, this will continue."

She added, “It’s kind of like World War III. But it’s not like the war our parents fought. There’s no defined location. It pops up all over.”

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Bill and Mary Moon of Stone Mountain were also there. They lived in France from 1970 to 1984 and had three children born there.

“We feel very, very close to this,” Bill Moon said, standing in front of the memorial, above which flew the flags of France, the U.S. and Georgia, all at half staff. “This is not about Muslims, it’s about terrorism.”

The couple said that they still have friends in France.

“We’ve been emailing all day,” Mary Moon said.