Firebomb hits French satire magazine

The offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical weekly French magazine, were burnt down in a firebomb attack on the 2 November 2011 - the same day that it published a special edition entitled 'Charia [Sharia] Hebdo' with the Prophet Muhammad depicted as editor-in-chief.

The burning down of the publisher’s offices – in Paris’ 20th arrondissement, home to a large Muslim community – evoked memories of the publication by Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, of 12 controversial cartoons of Muhammad in 2005.

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said freedom of expression was an inalienable right in France and no cause could justify such violence.

ESO: Background information: France imposes first niqab fines http://www.europeansources.info/record/france-imposes-first-niqab-fines/

BBC News, 2.11.11: French satirical paper Charlie Hebdo attack condemned http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15560790

France24, 2.11.11: Satirical weekly hit by petrol bomb over ‘sharia’ issue http://www.france24.com/en/20111102-france-charlie-hebdo-satirical-weekly-petrol-bomb-attack-sharia-issue

The Local.fr, 2.11.11: Firebomb guts magazine that ran Muhammad pic http://www.thelocal.fr/20111102/1632

---