Video: Muslim man's 'hug for forgiveness' after Barcelona terror attack goes viral

Barcelona - There was a sign where he stood. It read: "I am Muslim, I am not a terrorist

A loving hug has the power to heal. And when the embrace is to seek forgiveness for a heinous act committed by others, the gesture grabs more attention and wins praise.
Soon after the Barcelona terror attack last week, a Muslim man was spotted offering hugs to strangers in Las Ramblas. There was a sign where he stood. It read: "I am Muslim, I am not a terrorist. I share hugs of love and peace." These words were written in Catalan, Spanish, English, Arabic and French.
The footage went viral after it was posted on Facebook on Sunday. It attracted 7.7 million views.
"He hugged my daughter and asked her forgiveness many times," Sanda Hernandez, from Barcelona, toldEl Pais, according to a report published in The Independent.
A woman wrote on Facebook: "When I hugged him, he asked me to forgive him. No innocent person should have to be forced to apologise for something he has not done. I was only able to cry and thank him."

It was not for the first time that such a gesture was made following a terror attack.  
After the Paris attacks that killed 130 people, a blindfolded man hugged mourners while sporting a sign which read: "Do you trust me?"
 
Manchester attack in May this year left video blogger Baktash Noori stunned. Noori gave "free hugs" to strangers in the UK city.
On Monday, thousands of Muslims participated in a vigil to speak against terrorism and show solidarity with the victims of the attack in the Catalan city and the seaside resort of Cambrils.
They carried placards reading "we are also victims" and "terrorism has no religion".