Hundreds of Glaswegians braved street-pounding rain today to attend a rally in support of free speech and to mourn the deaths in Paris this week of those killed by Islamic extremists.
The rally, organised by French students at the University of Strathclyde, took place in the on the steps at the Royal Concert Hall in Buchanan Street at 3pm, to coincide with similar rallies planned in Paris, Edinburgh, New York and Beirut.
The Je Suis Charlie rallies, set up to highlight the needless killing of the 12 Charlie Hebdo staff members, police officers and four market hostages, featured speeches by student leaders, lecturers and journalists.
Dozens of those attending the rally held up posters declaring "I am Charlie", "I am Ahmed" and "Not Afraid".
Retired French teacher Alastair Sutherland held up a pencil in his hand as he followed the marchers from the Royal Concert Hall down Buchanan Street.
"The pencil is mightier than the gun," he said, as he walked. "We've been singing the French national anthem because we want to show we care deeply about what has happened in France.
"And we have to show the world we believe this. I have family in France and I taught French. And I felt I had to speak today because everyone in France is suffering."
Mr Sutherland added: "I wasn't a big fan of Charlie Hebdo, I found its content far from gentle, but we have to defend this magazine's right exist, the right to be satirical.
"If we can't have the right to free speech what do we have?"
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