SYDNEY, March 20 -- Staff and customers plus more than 150 journalists and key local politicians attended the re-opening of the Lindt Cafe in Sydney on Friday.

It was the scene of last year's mid-December siege in Sydney's CBD where 18 hostages were taken captive over 16 hours, leaving two innocents dead and gunman Man Haron Monis killed.

The re-opening after three months was a major event and a symbol of strength for Sydney. In the week after the siege an enormous floral tribute appeared outside the Lindt Cafe to show Sydney people cared more about the killed innocents than revenge and terrorism for the event.

On Friday Sydney people, including New South Wales Premier Mike Baird and media, turned out to commemorate what became a moving event.

"I can't really look at the cafe without feeling these pangs of despair at what took place," the New South Wales premier said at the re-opening.

"I know over time that will heal but ... the impacts are still pretty raw."

People outside the cafe on Friday morning said they wanted to support it.

"I have always liked the coffee here, I have always liked the atmosphere and am standing in line for the re-opening because of that," Sydney resident Geraldo said.

"I feel very much for the two people who died here. I respect them."

People's emotions did not include talk of retribution and revenge in the crowd outside the refurbished cafe where manager Tori Johnson and customer Katrina Dawson died.

The mood was about peace. Xinhua spoke to several people present, people of different ethnic backgrounds, and they communicated in brief and in simple terms that the hate which causes such instances must be defeated.

They wanted to buy a cup of coffee to show peace can simply be that.

On Friday, as Sydney's business district began its day, dozens of people lined up to buy such a cup of coffee at the Sydney CBD center of Martin Place where the tragedy struck.

Many simply passed through the large crowd without needing to say anything.

That sense of going about the day to day of life while a major media and public event was taking place only underlined the most important thing to them.

On Friday people in Australia's biggest city indicated tolerance beats force.