CityNews’s Cynthia Mulligan reports from Europe

CityNews reporter Cynthia Mulligan was in Florence, Italy, when chaos struck in Paris: at least 129 dead, and at least 350 injured, in coordinated shootings, bombings and hostage-takings. Before heading to Paris, she explains the mood in a central part of Florence and notes limited increase in security.

Mulligan then made her way from Rome to Paris. In the video below, she explains the scene once she arrived, and speaks to a Paris couple who had also left Rome and were returning home to tragedy.

In the evening, she spoke to three French women who talked about how this felt different. ‘We don’t understand,’ they said.

Then, Mulligan travelled to outside Le Carillon, one of the restaurants targeted in the attack. Here are some photos from what became a shrine to strength. “There is such a deep, deep layer of sadness,” she said.

Mulligan was then caught at Place de Republique, which was packed with people when a noise startled the crowd and prompted a mass evacuation. Police would later report that this was a false alarm.