14 Jan 2015

Charlie Hebdo sells out across France

Copies of the latest Charlie Hebdo, the first issue since the Paris attacks, sell out across the country – and people start bidding hundreds of pounds for issues being sold on Ebay.

The first issue of Charlie Hebdo after a jihadist attack on its editorial staff has sold out across France within hours, with people queuing at newstands.

Around one million copies of the satirical magazine, which usually has a print run of 60,000, went on sale this morning.

Many Parisians joined long queues outside newspaper kiosks in the pre-dawn cold to get their hands on one of 700,000 copies of the first run that will eventually total five million.

The magazine, which features a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed crying on its front page, is being translated into English, Spanish and Arabic and around 1,000 copies are being sold in the UK.

Prophet picture

The front page cartoon features the Prophet holding a “Je suis Charlie” sign underneath the headline “Tout est pardonne (All is forgiven).

Charlie Hebdo cartoonist Renald “Luz” Luzier told a press conference on Tuesday: “We are cartoonists and we like drawing little characters, just as we were as children.

“The terrorists, they were kids, they drew just like we did, just like all children do.

“At one point they lost their sense of humour. At one point they lost the soul of their child which allowed them to look at the world with a certain distance.

“I’m sorry we’ve drawn him yet again but the Mohammed we’ve drawn is a man who is crying.”

Queues for Charlie Hebdo

On the back page a cartoon shows Islamist terrorists arriving in heaven and asking “Where are the 70 virgins?” to be met with the response: “With the Charlie team, losers”.

The edition also includes a series of previously published cartoons by Charb, Tignous and Honore and articles by writers Bernard Maris and Elsa Cayat – all of whom died in the attack on Charlie Hebdo’s offices.

Across Paris people queued from the early hours of the morning and kiosks quickly sold out of the edition, which is selling at its usual price of three euros.

The magazine quickly appeared on Ebay, with bids heading towards £1,000.

Interest in the edition has prompted more than 50 British Muslim leaders to appeal for calm from the Islamic community in response to the cartoon.

In an open letter, the imams and religious leaders wrote: “Most Muslims will inevitably be hurt, offended and upset by the republication of the cartoons. But our reaction must be a reflection of the teachings of the gentle and merciful character of the prophet (peace be upon him).

“Enduring patience, tolerance, gentleness and mercy, as was the character of our beloved Prophet, is the best and immediate way to respond.”

Turkish solidarity

In the Turkish cities of Istambul and Ankara police stepped up security at the offices of the prominent newspaper after the staunchly secular daily chose publish translated versions of Charlie Hebdo cartoons. The paper, which has lost seven of its own prominent journalists in past attacks, devoted four pages to Charlie Hebdo articles and cartoons.

However a court in the city of Diyarbakir banned online access to websites showing Charlie Hebdo’s front cover, according to reports from the Dogan news agency on the grounds that they were a danger to “public order.”