'Peace for Paris' image spreads on social media

A simple drawing that overlays the Eiffel Tower with a peace symbol was widely shared on social media early Saturday, as people following the deadly Paris attacks sought to show their sympathy with the victims. 

A tweet of the image by Jean_Jullien, the name of a French graphic designer based in London, was retweeted 20,000 times. Jullien's Facebook page, which also carried the image, was shared nearly 7,000 times.

The black-on-white image replaces the fork of the typical peace image with the outline of the French landmark.

News outlets, artists, and widely followed organizations such as Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In shared the image. 

The Jean_Jullien Twitter account took credit for the drawing. 

According to Jullien's website, the illustrator has done work for The New Yorker  and Warby Parker, among others. 

"Even though my craft is graphic arts and illustration, in general I tend to focus on ideas more," he said in an interview posted on his Website. 

The major social media services showed their utility in times of crisis Friday as a series of attacks shook Paris, and at least 100 people were held hostage until police moved in. 

On Twitter, users tweeted with the hashtag #PorteOuverte to offer shelter and safety for those who were stranded in the city. Facebook encouraged Paris-based users to "check in", which triggered automatic notifications to their friends that they were safe.

Posted in: Today