Winnipegger studying in Paris worries tensions will rise after attacks

A Winnipegger studying in Paris says that while she is safe and sound, she remains worried about what could happen in the wake of the deadly shootings in the city Friday night.

French police are reporting that more than 100 people are dead after security forces stormed a Paris concert hall where dozens were being held hostage as part of multiple deadly attacks around the French capital on Friday.

At least six separate attacks occurred at multiple sites around the capital Friday. These included the hostage taking at the Bataclan music hall in the 11th arrondissement in central Paris, a shooting at a restaurant in another neighbourhood and explosions outside a stadium that might have involved two suicide attacks.

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Winnipegger Helga Jakobson has been studying for her master's degree in fine arts at the Paris College of Arts for the last two months and lives in the 18th arrondissement, which isn't far from where the attacks took place.

Jakobson was in the streets recording a film for a university project at about 10:30 p.m. Paris time when the shooting started.

"I got a phone call from a friend of mine, and he was a little bit worried about us," Jakobson said. "He had heard there was a gunman who was in the 10th [arrondissement] and near a restaurant that we frequent, and he was worried that maybe we had gone there for some drinks after."

Jakobson said her and her friends then began to hear sirens going off in the distance.

"A man came out ... of an apartment building on to his balcony and interrupted us and said, 'You know they're reporting that 25 people are dead and you girls shouldn't really be in the streets anymore,' Jakobson said.

They packed up and headed home for the night, but were told to avoid public transit and local monuments. As Jakobson neared her apartment, she said she noticed a growing sense of urgency from people outdoors in the neighbourhood.

"People were kind of rushing towards their apartments trying to get indoors," Jakobson said, adding the noise of sirens and helicopters overhead started to grow.

None of her friends were injured in the attacks, Jakobson said. While she feels safe, Jakobson said she is concerned about what the international fallout will be like in the coming days.

"This is a very trying situation and very harrowing, but you know I'm a little worried about what's going to happen tomorrow, what the climate is going to be after this attack," she said. 

Tensions have been on the rise since the deadly Charlie Hebdo attacks in January and, more recently, with the entry of Syrian refugees into the country, she said.

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"I know there has been a lot of tension with the migrants.... I think that it's going to be a lot more tense than it already has been."

Jakobson added that she hopes people choose to come together rather than push each other apart.

"I'm hopeful for that but I'm also very concerned," she said. "I knew that this place was not exactly the most secure place I was moving to, but I'm surprised the way things have gone this evening and horrified."

'Not going to be deterred'

Meanwhile, travellers planning to head to France are being told to expect delays all across the world.

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Winnipeg immigration lawyer Ken Zaifman is in Montreal en route for Paris. He is part of a group going to France to attract more people to move to Manitoba.

While France's president closed the country's borders Friday following the attacks, Zaifman said that he plans to go ahead with his plans as soon they reopen.

"If Air Canada is flying, then I'm going and I'm not going to be deterred by what the current situation is," he said. "We've just got to move forward and hopefully things will resolve themselves by the time we land in Paris."

Zaifman admitted people he is travelling with are anxious about the attacks, adding his family has contacted him worried for his safety.

Politicians offer sympathies

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger's office released a statement Friday just before 7 p.m. CT

"The people of Manitoba extend their deepest sympathies and condolences to the survivors, friends and families of all victims of today's horrific and senseless acts of violence in Paris, France," the Selinger camp said in a statement.

"Out of respect for all victims of today's terrorist attacks, the flags at the Legislative Building have been lowered to half-staff."

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman and Manitoba Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari tweeted their support for those impacted by the attacks.

French police say they believe all of the attackers involved in the shootings and bombings in Paris are dead. 

Paris prosecutor François Molins said the overall death toll could exceed 120. Molins also said earlier that five attackers had been "neutralized."