The Eiffel Tower Goes Dark To Honor Victims Of Barcelona Attack

Carla Herreria
Updated

The Eiffel Tower dimmed its lights after midnight on Friday to honor the victims killed and injured during Thursday’s terrorist attack in Barcelona.

The iconic tower shut off its lights at 12:45 a.m. and stood in darkness over the famed City of Light. Officials typically turn the lights off nightly at 1 a.m., according to the tower’s website.

A van rammed into pedestrians at a tourist hub in Barcelona on Thursday afternoon, killing at least 13 people and injuring over 100. Authorities have arrested two suspects in connection with the tragic incident and an investigation is ongoing.

Terrorists with the self-described Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, though police did immediately confirm the driver’s motive. One video of the crash shows people running from the car near Barcelona’s Plaça de Catalunya, while another shows people lying in the street, some bloodied and unresponsive.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said after the attack that the country would defeat terrorism and offered his condolences to the families of the victims.

Anne Hidago, mayor of Paris, tweeted in solidarity with Barcelona and said their cities’ values were stronger than acts of terrorism.

Although the tower dims nightly, officials will shut off the lights earlier in recognition of an important event or to show solidarity with public emergencies like terror attacks.

Paris officials dimmed the Eiffel Tower in May after a suicide bomber attacked an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. The city did the same in March when terror struck the London Bridge, as well as in December to call attention to the humanitarian crisis in Syria.

The Eiffel Tower also went dark at 8 p.m. in 2015 to mourn the Charlie Hebdo killings in Paris.

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Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in a crowded tourist area in Barcelona Thursday.
Injured people react after a van crashed into pedestrians in a crowded tourist area in Barcelona Thursday.
Police officers attend to injured people. 
Police officers attend to injured people. 
A woman cries as she talks on the phone.
A woman cries as she talks on the phone.
 Medics and police tend to injured people. 
 Medics and police tend to injured people. 
Police officers and emergency service workers move an injured person into an ambulance.
Police officers and emergency service workers move an injured person into an ambulance.
People help injured victims. 
People help injured victims. 
People react as they leave a cordoned-off area.
People react as they leave a cordoned-off area.
People put their hands up as police check their identities near the scene of the attack.
People put their hands up as police check their identities near the scene of the attack.
People look toward the scene of the terrorist attack. 
People look toward the scene of the terrorist attack. 
Armed policemen stand in a cordoned-off area.
Armed policemen stand in a cordoned-off area.
People move away from the area. 
People move away from the area. 
Policemen stand next to vehicles.
Policemen stand next to vehicles.
Police said at least 90 people were injured in the attack, and confirmed multiple fatalities.
Police said at least 90 people were injured in the attack, and confirmed multiple fatalities.
Authorities shut down metro stations in the area.
Authorities shut down metro stations in the area.
A woman cries near the scene. 
A woman cries near the scene. 
 A damaged van, believed to be the one used in the attack, is surrounded by police officers. 
 A damaged van, believed to be the one used in the attack, is surrounded by police officers. 
Spanish policemen accompany people leaving the cordoned off area. 
Spanish policemen accompany people leaving the cordoned off area. 
The van that drove into the crowd killing 13 people and injuring more than 100. 
The van that drove into the crowd killing 13 people and injuring more than 100. 
The van is towed away.
The van is towed away.
Policemen check the area after towing away the van. 
Policemen check the area after towing away the van. 

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.