http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3506024/Tears-loved-ones-Heartbreaking-scenes-hundreds-line-streets-Brussels-remember-34-victims-killed-terror-attacks.html

• Belgian mourners gather in Place de la Bourse to express their grief and write messages of peace on the concrete
• The country is observing three days of national mourning and held a minute silence this morning at 11am
• People applauded after the silence and chanted 'Long live Belgium', followed by 'Brussels above all'
• Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel also lit a candle in the square to pay tribute to the victims
• 'Unity', 'peace, love' and 'Bruxelles toujours' (Brussels forever) has been written on the ground in chalk
• Colourful chalk messages cover the ground and white roses were handed out to mourner

 Tears spilled today as friends, family and strangers gathered in solidarity at Brussels' main square to hold vigils for loved ones lost in yesterday's terror attacks.

In heartbreaking images, a mother - known only as Sonia - held her two young children close as she wept for the victims at the city's Place de la Bourse.

Brussels remained defiant today as mourners broke out in a round of applause after the minute's silence held this morning at 12 noon local time.

Stoic Belgians gathered together in unity to support one another in the aftermath of yesterday's shocking attack on Zaventem Airport and a further bomb attack at Maelbeek Metro Station that left 34 dead and 200 injured.

On the Place de la Bourse, crammed with people and decked out with flags and flowers left by mourners, the crowd chanted: 'Long live Belgium', followed by 'Brussels above all'.


 We are showing our compassion,' said Brussels mayor Yvan Mayeur. 'We need to reach out today to all those who were hurt.'

At the headquarters of the European Union where Belgium's King Philippe and his wife joined officials led by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker the mood was sombre.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls stood alongside the king and leading EU officials who joined Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel to remember the dead.

Speaking from the public vigil at the Place de la Bourse, admin worker Caroline Cohest, 28, said: 'Look at what happened after the Paris attacks, people are continuing their lives there.

'It's not a good thing to stay home. The best thing that the people of Belgium can do is to carry on with their lives.'

As dawn broke in a drizzly Brussels, tealight candles continued to burn at the site where the night before hundreds had congregated hours after the atrocities

Some stood in sombre remembrance, others hugged and sang songs, including Imagine by John Lennon, and recited the Belgian national anthem.

Brussels student Laura Kartheuser, 20, said: 'We've come here to support each other and see what was written on the pavement. It's really touching.

 Unity', 'peace, love' and 'Bruxelles toujours' (Brussels forever) has been carefully written across the ground.
Other messages are more pertinent.
'Chretien + Musulman + Juif = humanite' one piece declares.

Another man wrote in Arabic: 'If you are here with the objective to make us afraid, you have failed. We are here in peace, in a land of peace.'

'I don't know who thought to bring chalk for people to write with, but it's lovely to see such kind words.

'And they've been written in all different languages, including English, Spanish and German. It's so beautiful.'

Last night the square was packed with hundreds of people, but the atmosphere was quiet and sombre. Place de la Bourse is where the residents of Brussels have chosen to gather as the sun begins to set on a city in mourning.

But this is also a city which is defiant in the face of tragedy - in the face of a senseless crime which has left 34 people dead and dozens injured.
 Some did not use words: a woman and a man were drawn next to each other, tears pouring from their eyes.

Gabrielle kneeled on the ground writing her message with a tiny piece of chalk she has found. She is not from Brussels, and moved here from her native France three years ago, but she felt a need to join others on the Place. 'It's our city,' the 20-year-old said defiantly. 'We are so sad to think about the people who died this morning.'

There are other signs of defiance here too: the white rose placed carefully in the mouth of the stone lion, which stands guard in front of the city's 200-year-old stock exchange.




 It's terrifying.'

The young woman's message is scrawled in large, bright, defiant letters: 'heart over hate'.

Jana Struys came out to the Place because 'being together is the answer'.

'We need to show we are not afraid,' she told MailOnline.

'We needed to come together and share space with everyone.

'It's why we made the message, to show love is above hate.'

But thinking about how close he and his classmates came to death gave him goosebumps - and meant he felt compelled to visit the square yesterday evening.




Because underneath their feet are brightly coloured chalk messages - reminiscent of those written on the pavements of Paris after its own attack just a few months ago.