Twitter
Advertisement

'We vomit' on Charlie Hebdo's sudden friends, says staff cartoonist

Latest News
article-main
Dutch comic book author Bernard Willem Holtrop, aka Willem during the "Festival International de la Bande Dessinee" (International Comic Book Festival)
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

A staff cartoonist of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has scorned the new-found attention the magazine has garnered after the gruesome attack at its Paris office on Wednesday. The Dutch cartoonist, Bernard Holtrop, who is known with the pen name Willem has also condemned the popular "new friends" of the magazine and has deemed the "friendship" laughable. In an interview with the Dutch daily Volkskrant, Holtrop said, "We have a lot of new friends, like the pope, Queen Elizabeth and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. It really makes me laugh,"

Holtrop, who also draws for the French leftist daily Liberation, further added, "Marine Le Pen (France's far-right National Front leader) is delighted when the Islamists start shooting all over the place. We vomit on all these people who suddenly say they are our friends. They've never seen Charlie Hebdo."

Criticising the sudden support of people from all over the world, Holtrop said, "A few years ago, thousands of people took to the streets in Pakistan to demonstrate against Charlie Hebdo. They did not even know what it was. Now it's the opposite, but if people are protesting to defend freedom of speech, naturally that's a good thing."

Commenting on the Wednesday attack on Charlie Hebdo, Holtrop said that he was travelling in a train that day and was between Paris and northwestern Lorient when he got to know about the incident. The cartoonist said that he doesn't like editorial meetings and that's why he did not attend the meeting in the Paris office when the assailants opened fire in the office which resulted in saving his life. Holtrop said that he thinks Charlie Hebdo should continue publishing to show its strength "Otherwise, (the assailants) have won." 

Reacting to the massacre of January 7, 2015 when two gunman barged in the Paris office of Charlie hebdo and shot dead eight of its journalists, the magazine, has announced that it is undeterred by the attack and will publish around a million copies to show its strength. 

Read More: Charlie Hebdo to publish million copies to show strength

The French and people from all over the world have shown solidarity with the satirical magazine  and its slain journalists through the tag 'Je Suis Charlie' (I am Charlie). Even the leaders of the world are expected to  march together with the French President Francois Hollande. The expectant leaders include German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Italy Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu. 

Also Read: Paris attack: Foreign leaders to march together in show of solidarity

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement