French Magazine Can't Resist Publishing New Mohammed Cartoons

Reuters
Dashiell Bennett 2,772 Views Sep 19, 2012

Less than a year after getting its office firebombed over a cartoon of Mohammed, the French staire magazine Charlie Hedbo couldn't pass up an opportunity to insert itself into the controversy and protests engulfing the Muslim world. Their latest edition hit newsstands Wednesday with new cartoons on the back page depicting a naked Prophet Mohammed. The front cover also includes an image of Mohammed sitting in a wheelchair, being pushed by an Orthodox Jew, with the caption "You must not mock us!"

In November of last year, Charlie Hebdo's Paris offices were firebombed on the same week they published an issue that was "guest edited" by Mohammed. Their editor says the magazine “does caricatures of everyone, and above all every week" and that the images will only "shock those who will want to be shocked." (The issue also contains cartoons making fun of rape victims and Catholics, according to CNN.)

French politicians and Islamic leaders both condemned the magazine and appealed to French Msulims to not take the bait. Mohammed Moussaoui of the French Muslim Council (CFCM) called Charlie Hebdo “Islamophobic", but said the community should “rise above their anger and not give in to the provocation.”

France has Europe's largest Muslim population, but the greater concern is for French people and diplomats living overseas. Al Arabiya reports the country will close embassies and schools in 20 different countries out of fear that the violent protests that have hit U.S. embassies over the last week will spread to them. Charlie Hedbo may make a living with its provocations, but their latest one could not have arrived at a worse time for their countrymen living in the Middle East.

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