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During Paris Attacks, Kind Hearted Parisians Unite Using Hashtag #PorteOuverte To Offer Shelter To Any Who Need It

By Janice Malcolm
Published on: 12:56 PST, Nov 13, 2015

As the possible terrorist attack situation in Paris continues to develop, the world remains in shock. Multiple shootings and explosions in the French capital have left over 140 confirmed deaths and scores more reported as injured. As the explosions ripped through the city many persons took the chance to extend a hand to their fellow Parisians. Twitter users throughout the city began to offer a safe space to those needing to escape using the hashtag #PorteOuverte, which means open door.

As the city faces devastating levels of violence with what the police fears will be a rising death toll the president has declared a state of emergency and the borders to the country have been closed. President Francois Hollande gave a brief press statement earlier today and declared the entire nation under a state of emergency and all borders were ordered closed. The French president stated that “unprecedented terror attacks were underway.” The closing of the borders means that not only will no one be allowed to enter the nation but one can leave either until the order is lifted.

However, the doors of many are opening around the city. #PorteOuverte has begun trending on Twitter, with hundreds of tweets using the hashtag appearing every minute, as social media users began sending out tweets to invitations to their homes for persons who may be in need of help or a place to sleep. #PorteOuverte tweets have included the addresses of many parisians while others have indicated that those needing help should direct message them for their addresses as their doors really are open.

The hashtag #PorteOuverte is being used on a wide scale basis and actually pertains to more than just individual homes. The technological age is being put to good use and though many of the #PorteOuverte tweets are only in French many persons have taken the time to tweet in English and others have even directed their tweets to tourists in Paris with the hopes of offering shelter to those who truly do not have homes in the city of Paris.

In addition to the state of emergency across the nation, a mandatory curfew has been implemented and as such many are physically not be able to escape the terror ongoing across the city. #PorteOuverte is showing humanity at its finest as the acts of others have caused much devastation and loss in the city of Love. Slate reported that there may actually be too much traffic on the hashtag though, with so many persons tweeting to check #PorteOuverte people who need to find a place to stay may find it difficult to wade through the unnecessary.

Certain places of worship are also being included in the #PorteOuverte hashtag and reportedly Sikh temples can also be sought out.

The #PorteOuverte hashtag also works both ways as persons who need help are also tweeting their location and asking for help from anyone nearby.

The hostage situation in the Bataclan theatre where American band Eagles of Death Metal was playing at the time of the attacks initially reported that over a 100 hostages were taken. The Paris attacks did not stop there though and multiple locations have been the targets of these attacks. A restaurant near the 10th Arrondissement of the city was reportedly the site of heavy shootings, and three explosions were heard near the Stade de France north of the city. A previous Inquisitr article on the Paris attacks stated that France was playing Germany in a soccer match at the time.

Eturbo News reported that that situation was brought to an end when elite units infiltrated the stadium and killed at least two of the hostage takers. Over 1,500 soldiers are said to have been deployed to the French capital and police have implemented a special emergency number for anyone who needs help to call – 080-040-6005. The information number for any tourist in Paris is reportedly +33 014-555-8000.

As the city of Paris seeks to end the attacks anyone who needs a place to stay is once more encouraged to use the #PorteOuverte to find shelter.

You can check out some more of the #PorteOuverte tweets below.

Please be careful how you use the hashtag, remember unless you need the help or offering help it is hard to scroll through and find locations.

[Photo Courtesy Of Thierry Chesnot/ Getty Images]

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