The Social Media Response to Nice Was Heartbreakingly Familiar

Once again, people around the world are using social media to express shock and outrage and offer condolences and help over a terrorist attack.

In what has become a heartbreaking routine—employed during the Paris attacks of 2015, as well as after recent terrorist attacks in such places as Belgium and Istanbul — people shared emotional memes in solidarity with the city of Nice, where 84 people were killed by a truck driver barrelling into the crowd on the Promenade des Anglais.

Using the hashtags #PrayForNice or #JeSuisNice, people expressed solidarity over the deaths of at least 84 people, which French President Francois Hollande says was caused by an act of terrorism.

Hundreds of thousands memes have been shared on Instagram:

Help has been offered using the hashtag #PorteOuverte, or Open Door, where Nice social media users are offering strangers in Nice shelter after the attack. The hashtag was similarly used during last November’s Paris attacks:

Another hashtag, #RechercheNice, which translates to search Nice, has been used by thousands to find missing loved ones:

An account @NiceFindPeople was set up to help in the search of missing individuals:

French police also asked social media users to not share images or videos of the attack in respect of the families of the deceased.