MANILA, Philippines – As details of the horrific explosions in Brussels emerged on Tuesday, March 22, social media users across the globe banded together in solidarity.
Netizens were quick to express support, with #Brussels, #PrayForBelgium, and #JeSuisBruxelles ("I am Brussels" in French) immediately trending worldwide.
#BrusselsAttack & #ikwilhelpen ("I want to help" in Dutch) topped the Twitter trends locally in Belgium.
Among the thousands of tweets that went out in the hours after the attacks, several images circulated online in a show of unity with the victims in the Belgian capital:
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bruxelles?src=hash">#Bruxelles</a> L'hommage de Plantu <a href="https://t.co/sBBY9mGViE">https://t.co/sBBY9mGViE</a> <a href="https://t.co/WNoXNAwCUT">pic.twitter.com/WNoXNAwCUT</a></p>— Le Monde (@lemondefr) <a href="https://twitter.com/lemondefr/status/712207503929507840">March 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Unbelievable! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrayforBelgium?src=hash">#PrayforBelgium</a> <a href="https://t.co/5MQMBlX6qK">pic.twitter.com/5MQMBlX6qK</a></p>— Kevin De Bruyne (@DeBruyneKev) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeBruyneKev/status/712238495410991104">March 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It rains on the street. My heart sends me beats. Beats of love beats of love love love. <a href="https://t.co/23p4bMAV8Q">pic.twitter.com/23p4bMAV8Q</a></p>— Studio Brussel (@stubru) <a href="https://twitter.com/stubru/status/712241391322206208">March 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Tout mon soutien aux amis belges. La France est avec vous !<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Belgium?src=hash">#Belgium</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/belgique?src=hash">#belgique</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/attentatbruxelles?src=hash">#attentatbruxelles</a> <a href="https://t.co/0O5ZJsNawV">pic.twitter.com/0O5ZJsNawV</a></p>— Nawak (@NawakNawak) <a href="https://twitter.com/NawakNawak/status/712208565818286080">March 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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One of Belgium's most famous faces, cartoon character Tintin, has been drawn shedding tears:
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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="6" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:54.6428571429% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BDQGndVIru1/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">How could you be so heartless?! Mad world #prayforbrussels #prayforbruxelles</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Daniela Barbosa (@theanix1) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-03-22T10:16:05+00:00">Mar 22, 2016 at 3:16am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tristesse <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bruxelles?src=hash">#Bruxelles</a> <a href="https://t.co/HpeTv6dglQ">pic.twitter.com/HpeTv6dglQ</a></p>— Gergely Polner (@eurocrat) <a href="https://twitter.com/eurocrat/status/712197324202778624">March 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Some people have taken their expression of solidarity to the streets by writing down their messages with chalk on the sidewalk outside the Beursplein in Brussels:
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrayForBelgium?src=hash">#PrayForBelgium</a> has taken to the streets of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Brussels?src=hash">#Brussels</a> after today's terror attacks. <a href="https://t.co/W5UbRLy00u">pic.twitter.com/W5UbRLy00u</a></p>— Good Morning America (@GMA) <a href="https://twitter.com/GMA/status/712307846113787904">March 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="nl" dir="ltr">Op het Beursplein in Brussel delen Brusselaars boodschappen van liefde met stoepkrijt. <a href="https://t.co/NnBazgziEx">pic.twitter.com/NnBazgziEx</a></p>— Studio Brussel (@stubru) <a href="https://twitter.com/stubru/status/712284567844077569">March 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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After multiple attacks in France, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Turkey, and other countries in just the first few months of 2016, the Internet is clearly fed up with senseless acts of violence.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thoughts and prayers for the people in Brussels specially to victims and their families Stay Safe <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrayForBrussels?src=hash">#PrayForBrussels</a> <a href="https://t.co/a4XOUUMb3N">pic.twitter.com/a4XOUUMb3N</a></p>— (@5SOS_Daily) <a href="https://twitter.com/5SOS_Daily/status/712243557847793665">March 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrayForBrussels?src=hash">#PrayForBrussels</a> but don't stay mute on the non-Western European issues going on right now <a href="https://t.co/iCJPwDlbFy">pic.twitter.com/iCJPwDlbFy</a></p>— baby l (@lauranotclaire) <a href="https://twitter.com/lauranotclaire/status/712283806112325632">March 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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More innocent lives have been lost in this latest string of attacks in Brussels, underscoring the seriousness of the threat of terrorism.
The Islamic State (ISIS) has since claimed responsibility for the blasts. The terror group itself has been using the power of the Internet to radicalize young men and women around the world. Now, that is yet another battle. (READ: How to fight ISIS on social media) – Rappler.com