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Freedom Of Speech Walk Held On Lincoln Road

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MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami) – The lyrics from the French National anthem filled the streets of Lincoln Road as a crowd of more than 100 gathered for a freedom of speech walk on Sunday.

The walk is part of the healing process following the Paris massacre in which a dozen people were killed at Charlie Hebdo, a satirical weekly that lampooned radical Muslims and the Prophet Muhammad himself.

Thibault Masset, a Frenchman and a philosophy teacher at International School of Broward, organized the event which started at 3 p.m. at 413 Lincoln Road.

"We are united against terrorist and for the freedom of speech," said Masset.

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People in the crowd held signs that read "je suis charlie" "I am Charlie," which has become a rally cry for freedom of expression throughout the world.

"I think that the goal of terrorists is to divide, to break up western civilization through the division and it's important that we're here and show that we care.  I think apathy is the worst enemy," said French Rabbi Israel Frankforter.

In France more than three million demonstrators took to the streets – in what officials are calling the largest rally in the country's history.

More than 40 world leaders, walking arm-in-arm, led the procession down the streets of Paris.

Similar demonstrations were held in major cities across the world, as well as cities throughout the U.S. – including Washington D.C. and New York City.

"We're doing the same thing here in Miami, for the French people here in Florida. We are almost 40,000 French in Florida and we are very concerned with what's happening in our country," said demonstrator Xavier Capdevielle.

"It's important here in Miami because we are a lot of different people, a lot of community and we live together," said Masset.

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