In the name of the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, the president of the S&D Group, Gianni Pittella, and the head of the French socialist delegation, Pervenche Berès, expressed their sympathy, support and solidarity with the families of the victims, the injured and the emergency and police services, after the horrifying events in Nice last night. By striking on the 14 July – the day of the French national celebrations – only hours after the French president had described France as "a great country, but its history is tragic", the republic itself has been attacked.
This terrorist attack, a terrible continuation of the ones in Paris and Belgium in recent months, is a direct attack against Europe, against European values and against our societies. More than ever, Europe must respond to this barbarism with unity and with the spirit of the universal values of liberty, equality and fraternity.
