Shooting at Charlie Hebdo Office in Paris

 CNN and other have reported that there was a shooting at the Charlie Hebdo office in Paris today. According to reports, at least 12 individuals were murdered when gunmen when the offices of the Satire Magazine were attacked. According to reports, “Two heavily armed men entered the Charlie Hebdo office in Paris’ 11th district and opened fire…”. 

While there is still no word of official motivation since no one has claimed responsibility (and explained reason) for the attack, the magazine did publish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad a few years back (CNN, 2015). And the offices were burned after an attack because of what was believed to be their publication of the cartoons, as well as comments about Shariah or Islamic law, although it seems that the attack occurred the morning before the actual release of the publication.

It was reported that today, minutes before the attack, the magazine did publish a cartoon and caption of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

French leader Francois Hollande said that those who died were “cowardly assassinated[,]” and British leader David Cameron called the attacks “barbaric”, and that the British government “”stands squarely for free speech and democracy””. However, they were not the only ones to condemn the attack. For example, “New York-based advocacy group the Committee to Protect Journalists condemned what its deputy director, Robert Mahoney, called “a brazen assault on free expression in the heart of Europe.””

This attack and murders are deplorable. Individuals have no right to kill others because of what is being published. It is important and necessary that  these actions are condemned, and hopefully those responsible will be caught. 

I will follow up with additional information as more information is released by French police.