Bermuda’s honorary consul of France has thanked residents for their support in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.

Nicole Haziza said the French community appreciated the outpouring of “sympathy and solidarity” that followed two gunmen going on the rampage in Paris on Wednesday.

She branded the attacks that left 12 dead at the Charlie Hebdo offices, including two police officers and eight journalists, “senseless and barbaric”.

She said that France would continue to protect freedom of expression and democracy.

Ms Haziza told The Royal Gazette: “I would like to thank warmly the people of Bermuda for the outpouring of sympathy and solidarity as the events are still unfolding in Paris following the senseless and barbaric attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine.

“Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and the wounded.

“France will continue to protect the fundamental values of freedom of expression and democracy.”

Wednesday’s atrocities in Paris were followed yesterday by two hostage crises in the French capital and further devastation.

Brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi, who were believed to be responsible for the attack on the Charlie Hebdo offices, were shot dead by French police after a standoff in the north of the city.

Meanwhile, a third gunman, Amedy Coulibaly, who held shoppers hostage in a Jewish grocery store in city centre, was also killed when police stormed the building.

At least four hostages are believed to have been killed in the second siege.