French media has reported with alarm the spike in social media users praising the radical Islamic terrorists who murdered the Charlie Hebdo editorial staff in 2015 after the French satirical magazine depicted Meghan Markle on its latest cover.
The new issue shows a caricature of Queen Elizabeth II kneeling on the neck of the Duchess of Sussex with the caption, “Why did Meghan leave Buckingham?” and a speech bubble of Meghan Markle stating, “Because I couldn’t breathe any more,” in reference to the controversial death of American George Floyd. The controversial cover is typical form for the French satirical magazine, which delights in offending all, regardless of race, religion, or politics.
While most are able to take the jibes on the chin, a consequence of the tradition of free speech in the Western world, the magazine was subjected to a terror attack 2015 by Islamist gunmen which killed most of the publication’s senior staff.
The Royal topic cover sparked fresh outrage on social media from many who condemned Charlie Hebdo for racism, according to Valeurs Actuelles.
Dr Halima Begum, CEO of the British race relations think tank the Runnymede Trust, said of the cover: “This is wrong on every level. The Queen as George Floyd’s murderer crushing Meghan’s neck? Meghan saying she’s unable to breathe? This doesn’t push boundaries, make anyone laugh or challenge racism. It demeans the issues and causes offence, across the board.”
Others went even further, praising the actions of the radical Islamic terrorists, the Kouachi brothers. Islamists Saïd and Chérif Kouachi had murdered 12 people in 2015, most of whom were employees of the magazine.
According to Valeurs Actuelles, users posted threats against the magazine, with one writing: “Where are Saïd and Chérif Kouachi? There’s a job for you.”
Another wrote: “Your mother’s a whore. You deserved what happened to you. You’re a son of a bitch.”
While another user wrote: “ISIS might’ve been right.”
The cover is just the latest for the magazine, which has offended a broad range of people. It is also not the first time the staff have faced threats of violence.
Last year, the publication caused controversy after republishing the cartoons of Mohammed that were used as justification by radicals for the 2015 terrorist murders ahead of the trial of several accomplices to the attack.
The Mohammed cartoons were also the motive for teen Chechen refugee Abdoullakh Anzorov to behead Samuel Paty after the teacher showed the Charlie Hebdo images to his class during a lesson on freedom of expression.