BRUSSELS — A pedestrian strip outside the stock exchange in Brussels became a colorful canvas of support and defiance after Tuesday’s deadly bombings as those wanting to show solidarity chalked messages – in French, Flemish, English, Arabic and Cyrillic script and more.

A few thousand people were gathered at Brussels’ Place de la Bourse late Tuesday to draw more messages and light candles. One group broke into Edith Piaf’s “Hymne a L’amour” (Hymn to Love) as onlookers applauded. Next, they sang the Belgian national anthem, in both of the country’s national languages – French and Flemish. Many of the drawings were joyous, with slogans like “Spread love,” ”Live and Let Live” and “Love is my religion.” Others were more political: “Stop this war in Syria,” or simply raw – one small message read: “I’m scared.”

The vibe was generally upbeat, with laughing and joking, but there was a strong undercurrent of sadness.

Pepijn Kennis, 27, had tears in his eyes as he and his girlfriend drew the words “Hart Bove Haat” (Heart over Hate) in pink and yellow chalk in front of the Bourse. Kennis said he was distraught by the sight of soldiers and heavy weaponry now commonplace across the Belgian capital.

“The minute we put soldiers in the street, they’ve won,” he said.

At the center of the square, a memorial was improvised out of flags, tea lights, balloons, flowers and – because this is Belgium – beer bottles.