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Why The Eiffel Tower Went Dark Last Night

Photo: Chesnot/Getty Images.
The lights of the Eiffel Tower were turned off at midnight last night in a show of respect for the victims of yesterday's vehicle and knife attack in London, according to The Guardian. The video below shows the iconic landmark gradually darkening, section by section.
The Islamic State group (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which killed five people, including the perpetrator. About 30 others were injured, according to authorities, seven of them critically.
Yesterday morning, the attacker plowed an SUV into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before stabbing a police officer to death on the grounds of the U.K. Parliament. Officials have not released the attacker's identity or confirmed a link with ISIS. British Prime Minister Theresa May described the religious extremism motivating such attacks as "a perversion of a great faith."
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The Eiffel Tower has gone dark or changed its colors for several other major tragedies during the past couple of years.
In December, its lights were turned off in solidarity with the victims of the atrocities in Aleppo, Syria. Back in July, the landmark honored the 84 people who were killed in the truck attack in Nice, France.
In June, it was outfitted in rainbow lights to stand with the victims and survivors of the Orlando, Florida, nightclub shooting. In March, it lit up with the colors of the Belgian flag to honor the dozens of people who were killed in the Brussels terrorist attacks. And in November 2015, it displayed the colors of the French flag after the horrific attacks in Paris.

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