This Friday, January 23, 2026, at noon, several dozens of people from Nice gathered in front of the City Hall, on rue Saint-François-de-Paule, to pay tribute to Lizabete, 23, who was killed on Wednesday, January 21 in the middle of traffic on Boulevard Napoléon-III. Her baby, present during the attack, survived.
The mayor of Nice, also president of the Metropolis, accompanied by the entire City Council, opened the gathering with an emotionally charged speech. “I want to express all my emotion on behalf of the city of Nice and its residents, stated the elected official. I have decided that this baby, orphaned from her mother, will become a ward of the city of Nice.”
A minute of silence and shared emotions
After the speech, a minute of silence was observed by all participants. At the end of this moment of reflection, emotion burst forth: songs, cries, and tears rang out, expressing the collective pain. The solemnity of the gathering was reinforced by the respectful silence that followed.
Among the participants, Michael, 26, and the victim’s best friend, recounted: “It was important to me. She was my best friend. Even though we had lost touch a bit, it was a very powerful moment for me. I had to be there, with her family, her friends, all those who loved her.” He also sent a message to those close to her who couldn’t be present: “For those in Portugal or Cape Verde, know that we are all here to support the little one. But we also have to stay vigilant: the shooter is still on the run and must be found.”
Among the passersby, Odaïr, 33, and a member of the Cape Verdean community, explained: “I didn’t know her, but I recently became a father to a little girl. I had to be here. You don’t need to know the person to be present. There could have been even more of us if it hadn’t been a Friday at noon. There are no words… A mother who protected her daughter… there are no words (…) We are here to show the family that they are not alone and that this support should not be limited to today.”
At the end of the gathering, the crowd dispersed peacefully. No symbolic gestures, such as flowers or candles, were observed: only the emotional presence of the participants testified to their support. This gathering illustrates the outpouring of solidarity from the people of Nice and the mobilization of the Cape Verdean community in the face of the violence that struck the city, while marking the official support of the municipality for the baby now a ward of the city of Nice.
