Images And Reflections From The Paris Vigil Outside The White House

WASHINGTON -- Hundreds gathered outside the White House on Saturday night to pay homage to the victims of the Paris attacks that killed at least 129 and critically wounded 99.

On a fall-like evening, those gathered stood in relative silence, whispered conversations serving as ambient sound, punctured occasionally by song. One woman sang John Lennon's "Imagine." French flags dotted the audience, as did candlelights. Many brought children. One 7-year-old donned in a red winter hat sat in his mother's lap, and held a sign reading: "Peace."

In the crowd, Emma Barnes, 24, and Marwa Ibrahim, 26, stood holding candles. They said they came to show solidarity with Parisians and to make a statement that the attackers didn't reflect the Muslim faith.

"Everything that I'm seeing happening that's destroying the Middle East and destroying countries that are very close to my own country, so it's outrageous and it's not acceptable," said Ibrahim. "I don't think that I need to say this explicitly, but being Muslim and being Arab, I am against everything that's happening to destroy humanity."

Elsewhere in the crowd, Margot Parriche, 16, came with her classmates. They are children of French ex-pats living in Washington.

The vigil was held across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House in Lafayette Square, named in honor of the French Marquis de Lafayette, who played an instrumental role in the American Revolution.

Below are other moments captured from the vigil on Saturday night, also attended by officials from the French embassy and White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough.

And here is video of the vigil: