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Charlie Hebdo attack: the response in pictures

  • Published
    8 January 2015
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What's popular and why

There has been an outpouring of posts on social media in the wake of the attacks in Paris, with 1.3m tweets alone using the hashtag #CharlieHebdo.

This graphic, external (in English: "I am Charlie") was shared more than 140,000 times in the first hours after the attacks.

Je Suis Charlie poster image being shared on TwitterImage source, other

The magazine itself then published a PDF, external with the same phrase translated into seven different languages.

"I am Charlie" graphic in PersianImage source, Charlie Hebdo

Le Monde and L'Express cartoonist @plantu tweeted this image, external. The text reads: "We are wholeheartedly with Charlie Hebdo".

Plantu tribute after Charlie Hebdo attackImage source, @plantu / Twitter

A 2012 cartoon from the New Yorker, external was shared more than 6,000 times in the first few hours after the attack.

Cartoon featured in the New Yorker in 2012Image source, New Yorker

Charlie Hebdo's editor-in-chief Gerard Biard, who was in London during the attack, said: "I don't understand how people can attack a newspaper with heavy weapons. A newspaper is not a weapon of war." Cartoonists picked up on the 'mighty pen' theme.

Cartoon of attackers holding a paintbrushImage source, Satish Acharya

There were many variations on the theme questioning how lethal a cartoonist can actually be. The cartoon below, external says: "Why? ... Pump-action rifle? ... Kalashnikov? ... Grenade?"

Translation: "Why? ... Pump-action rifle? ... Kalashnikov? ... Grenade?"Image source, other

Previous Charlie Hebdo covers were also being shared on social media. The text of the most popular reads: "Love is stronger than hate" and shows the editor of the magazine kissing a figure that many have interpreted as the Prophet or one of his followers.

That front cover was published after the magazine's offices were attacked in Nov 2011.

Dutch cartoonist Ruben Oppenheimer, external drew parallels between Wednesday's shootings and the 9/11 attacks.

Two pencils represent the Twin Towers attackImage source, Ruben Opennheimer / twitter

Australian cartoonist David Pope shared an emotional tweet, external that was shared more than 30,000 times.

David Pope tribute to Charlie Hebdo workersImage source, David Pope

Some posters went straight to the heart of the issue by sharing a cartoon by the French artist Delize. The text reads: "Believers hurt by non-believers" (the man crying on the left) and "Non-believers hurt by believers." (the man lying in the pool of blood on the right).

A cartoon by French artist Delize of a man reading a newspaper and a wounded man lying on the groundImage source, Delize

Blog by Sitala Peek

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