Julie Bishop presents David Pope cartoon to Charlie Hebdo staff in Paris
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Version 0 of 1. The foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop, has presented staff of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo with a signed, framed copy of an Australian cartoon as a sign of solidarity with the publication after the January terrorist attack that killed a dozen people. The image by a Fairfax cartoonist, David Pope, shows a terrorist with a smoking gun standing over the body of a dead cartoonist, saying: “He drew first.” Pope created the image while watching news of the unfolding attack in January. It went viral on social media shortly afterwards, and was recognised by staff members who were there to receive Bishop. “It is a simple yet powerful and poignant reflection of the utterly and absolutely disproportionate response to the work of this magazine and encapsulates the brutality of the terrorists,” Bishop said. “I hope that I can convey to you the depth of feeling people in Australia have as a result of what you all went through. “I admire so greatly the fact that you are all here still working and still upholding the values of freedom of the press and the safety of journalists. “The events of those two days reflect the perverted hatred of the terrorists, but also reflect the stoicism and the courage of the people who work here and the horrendous experience that you had at that time.” Laurent Sourisseau, director of the magazine, which has courted controversy for its depiction of Muslims and the prophet Muhammad, thanked the Australian people for the gift. “This is something we could have drawn, each and every one of us here, because this is exactly how we felt and how we feel,” Sourisseau said. “It’s an extreme honour for us because we’re not always aware of the consequences of the Charlie Hebdo attacks on the other side of the world and having someone visiting us from afar is a very good testimony of the fact that what happened to us has been heard and seen abroad.” Eleven staff members of the weekly magazine were killed, and another 11 injured after the gunmen, Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, stormed its Paris headquarters on 7 January. The pair also killed a police officer. The massacre prompted an international outpouring of support for the controversial publication, in which supporters held up signs saying “Je suis Charlie”, or “I am Charlie”. “The world came together in revulsion and horror, but also united behind this magazine and the values that French people hold so dear, particularly freedom of expression, freedom of speech,” Bishop said. “Coming from Australia, we see satire as an integral part of French society. It is as French as croissants. Satire is controversial, it is provocative, it offends all religions, all political parties. Nothing and nobody is spared. Satire is a counterbalance against power.” Pope published a new cartoon to coincide with Bishop’s trip to Paris, critical of Australia’s role in the Iraq war. I presume the Foreign Minister's visit to the Charlie Hebdo offices looked something like this pic.twitter.com/hwLJa43vW1 Pope did not respond to Guardian Australia’s request for comment. Bishop discussed security issues and counter-terrorism with her French counterpart, Laurent Fabius, while on her short visit to Paris. She will also visit Berlin and Brussels in coming days. |