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Video of father explaining Paris attacks to son goes viral

November 18, 2015

LONDON (AP) — A father’s heartwarming explanation to his son about the Paris attacks is electrifying social media, with millions of views on Facebook alone.

The video shows an interview conducted Sunday by a reporter for France’s Le Petit Journal at Place de La Republique in Paris, where people are laying flowers and lighting candles to honor the 129 victims killed in the attacks.

In the video, preschooler Brandon Le tells reporter Martin Weill the attacks on Friday night were conducted by “bad guys” who were “not very nice.” He then expresses fear that his family will be forced to move, although his father, Angel Le, reassures him.

“Oh don’t worry. We don’t need to move out. France is our home,” the father tells his son.

Brandon offers a quick reply. “But there’s bad guys daddy.”

“Yes, but there’s bad guys everywhere,” the father replies.

“They have guns. They can shoot us because they’re really, really mean daddy.”

With his arm around his son, the father refers to the crowd at the square, and says, “It’s OK. They might have guns, but we have flowers.”

Brandon was not easily persuaded. “But flowers don’t do anything. They’re for, they’re for…”

“Of course they do. Look. Everyone is putting flowers,” the father says.

“Yes?”

“It’s to fight against guns,” the father explains.

“It’s to protect?” Brandon asks.

“Exactly.”

“And the candles too?”

“It’s to remember the people who are gone yesterday.”

Social media seized upon the master class in parenting, and with translations of the child’s words appearing in English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Norwegian.