jong) Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy (L) Yaya Sanogo Jersey , head of the French conservative party UMP party, and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy (R) arrive at the Elysee Palace before attending a solidarity march (Marche Republicaine) in the streets of Paris January 11, 2015. Hundreds of thousands of French citizens will be joined by dozens of foreign leaders, among them Arab and Muslim representatives, in a march on Sunday in an unprecedented tribute to this week's victims following the shootings by gunmen at the offices of the satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo, the killing of a police woman in Montrouge Wojciech Szczesny Jersey , and the hostage taking at a kosher supermarket at the Porte de Vincennes. (REUTERSPhilippe Wojazer) French President Francois Hollande (C) welcomes former French President Nicolas Sarkozy (L), head of the French conservative party UMP party, and former prime minister Francois Fillon (R)at the Elysee Palace before attending a solidarity march (Marche Republicaine) in the streets of Paris January 11, 2015. Hundreds of thousands of French citizens will be joined by dozens of foreign leaders, among them Arab and Muslim representatives, in a march on Sunday in an unprecedented tribute to this week's victims following the shootings by gunmen at the offices of the satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo Theo Walcott Jersey , the killing of a police woman in Montrouge, and the hostage taking at a kosher supermarket at the Porte de Vincennes. (REUTERSPhilippe Wojazer) A Greek man holds a placard reading "I am Charlie" as he takes part in a solidarity march for the victims of the shooting at the Paris offices of weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo, in the streets of Thessaloniki January 11, 2015. (REUTERSAlexandros Avramidis) A Greek man holds a placard reading "I am Charlie" as he takes part in a solidarity march for the victims of the shooting at the Paris offices of weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo, in the streets of Thessaloniki January 11, 2015. (REUTERSAlexandros Avramidis) A demonstrator holds up an oversized pencil at Republique Square Shkodran Mustafi Jersey , Paris, before the start of a demonstration, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015. A rally of defiance and sorrow, protected by an unparalleled level of security Sead Kolasinac Jersey , on Sunday will honor the 17 victims of three days of bloodshed in Paris that left France on alert for more violence. (AP PhotoLaurent Cipriani) A general view shows an ambulance surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people gathering on the Place de la Republique to attend the solidarity march (Rassemblement Republicain) in the streets of Paris January 11, 2015. French citizens will be joined by dozens of foreign leaders, among them Arab and Muslim representatives, in a march on Sunday in an unprecedented tribute to this week's victims following the shootings by gunmen at the offices of the satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo, the killing of a police woman in Montrouge, and the hostage taking at a kosher supermarket at the Porte de Vincennes. (REUTERSCharles Platiau) PARIS - World leaders including Muslim and Jewish statesmen linked arms to lead more than a million French citizens through Paris in an unprecedented march to pay tribute to victims of Islamist militant attacks.
Commentators said the last time crowds of this size filled the streets of the capital was at the Liberation of Paris from Nazi Germany in 1944.
President Francois Hollande and leaders from Germany Santi Cazorla Jersey , Italy, Turkey, Britain as well as Israel and the Palestinian territories moved off from the central Place de la Republique ahead of a sea of French and other flags.
Seventeen people, including journalists and police, were killed in three days of violence that began on Wednesday with a shooting attack on the political weekly Charlie Hebdo, known for its satirical attacks on Islam and other religions.
Giant letters attached to a statue in the square spelt out the word Pourquoi?" (Why?) and small groups sang the "La Marseillaise" national anthem.
"Paris is today the capital of the world. Our entire country will rise up and show its best side Rob Holding Jersey ," Hollande said.
At least 3.7 million people took part in silent marches throughout the country, the biggest public demonstration ever registered in France. A total of 1.2 million to 1.6 million marched in Paris and a further 2.5 million in other cities, the Interior Ministry said.
The marches mostly proceeded in a respectful silence, reflecting shock over the worst militant Islamist assault on a European city since 57 people were killed in an attack on London's transport system in 2005.
The attackers, two French-born brothers of Algerian origin, singled out the weekly for its publication of cartoons depicting and ridiculing the Prophet Mohammad. The bloodshed ended on Friday with a hostage-taking at a Jewish deli in which four hostages and the gunman were killed.
Some 2 Petr Cech Jersey ,200 police and soldiers patrolled Paris streets to protect marchers from would-be attackers, with police snipers on rooftops and plain-clothes detectives mingling with the crowd.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister David Cameron and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi were among 44 foreign leaders marching with Hollande.
Merkel walked to Hollande's left and at his right was President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita of Mali, a country where France intervened to fight Islamist rebels two years ago to the day.
In a rare public display of emotion by the leaders of two powers, Hollande embraced Merkel, her eyes shut and forehead resting on his cheek Per Mertesacker Jersey , on the steps of the Elysee before they headed off to march.
Renzi said the fight against terrorism will be won by a Europe that is political, not just economic.
"The most important is the Europe of values, of culture, of ideals and that is the reason we are here," Renzi said.