WASHINGTON — The flags of France and the European Union hung at half-staff at the French Embassy on Friday morning, a day after dozens of people were killed during a Bastille Day celebration in Nice.

[related_gallery align=”right”]The embassy in D.C. was having its own celebration Thursday, but cut that short when news started coming in of the attack.

A few people made their way to the embassy to pay their respects.

“They are bleeding right now. They’re our friends. They are our allies. They are our oldest allies,” Steve Haaga told WTOP outside of the embassy. “That’s why I am here, showing solidarity. I brought some flowers from our family’s garden.”

Haaga served alongside the French while he was in Djibouti years ago and calls the French military “tough, ridiculously tough.”

He suggests people not show their fear.

“We shouldn’t be showing our fearful, sad, frightened face to the world,” Haaga said. “That’s not the America that I grew up in; it’s not the America I know.”

His advice: “If you’re inclined, pray. Show solidarity; show commonality. Donate blood. Do something positive.”