Radical Islamic terrorist tried their best to silence Charlie Hebdo in France last week by murdering 12 members of the newspaper. But that ill-conceived plot has backfired tremendously, as Charlie Hebdo is no longer just a French satirical newspaper, but has evolved into an international symbol in the fight against terrorism.
The world knows about Charlie Hebdo, and its latest publication sold out in minutes.
The satirical magazine announced last week it would continue with its weekly publication, increasing its print run to 3 million copies. The latest issue, featuring a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad on its cover, quickly sold out before dawn, The Associated Press reported. That is more than 50 times its normal circulation, with millions more copies expected to arrive.
Survivors of last week’s attacks, during which 17 Parisians were killed and many from the magazine, worked in borrowed offices to continue working on this week’s issue.
The cover features a tearful Muhammad, holding a sign that reads “Je Suis Charlie,” or “I Am Charlie,” — a line that has been invoked since the Jan. 7 attacks to show worldwide solidarity with the publication and support for free speech. The image appears below the headline “All Is Forgiven.”
