Buzz
At 11:30 A.M. on January 7, 2015, France was rocked by its deadliest terrorist attack since the 1995 train bombings. Armed assailants infiltrated the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, killing 12 individuals—including Muslim police officer Ahmed Merabet. While the full details are still unclear, it is believed that the attackers were provoked by the magazine’s depictions of Muhammad that had been published earlier.
However, Charlie Hebdo isn’t solely focused on caricatures of the Islamic prophet. Over the years, they’ve targeted nearly everyone without exception.
10. The Passing of De Gaulle
Before becoming the iconic Charlie Hebdo, France’s most controversial magazine was known as L’Hebdo Hara-Kiri. Its sole purpose was to be as “dumb and nasty” as possible (their words). This mission reached its peak in 1970 with the death of Charles de Gaulle at his home in Colombey.
Eight days before de Gaulle’s death, a catastrophic fire ravaged a nightclub in Saint-Laurent-du-Pont, claiming the lives of 142 teenagers. Many survivors were left with severe burns covering 90 percent of their bodies. It was a horrific tragedy that would have dominated the news if not for the sudden passing of France's senior leader. His death quickly eclipsed the fire in the headlines… until Hara-Kiri released its new edition. Their cover read: “Tragic Ball at Colombey: 1 Dead” (as shown above).
It was like igniting a powder keg beneath the French establishment. The outraged government banned Hara-Kiri from sale, accusing the magazine of being tasteless and offensive. This was not the first time Hara-Kiri had enraged those in power, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.
9. Vote Asshole
When Hara-Kiri closed its doors for the final time, many believed it marked the end of the controversial weekly. But that wasn’t the case. Instead of shutting down, the journalists and cartoonists exploited a loophole in French law and simply rebranded the magazine. Charlie Hebdo (“Charlie Weekly”) was essentially a continuation of Hara-Kiri, with the same staff, same format, and same mission—only now carrying the added sting of a name referencing their most infamous controversy.
It didn’t take long for a new scandal to replace the de Gaulle debacle. When the 1971 French municipal elections arrived, anti-government sentiment was running high. The freshly relaunched Charlie Hebdo seized the opportunity with a cover that read “Votez Con” (“Vote Asshole”). Beneath the headline, the cartoonists added the phrase “You Don’t Have A Choice.” This bold statement struck a chord with many disillusioned citizens. Even today, French graffiti artists occasionally leave their mark with it. While it didn’t reach the same level of controversy as the de Gaulle issue, it made clear that the magazine wasn’t abandoning its “dumb and nasty” ethos anytime soon.
8. Reprinting the Muhammad Cartoons from Denmark
You might not be familiar with the name Jyllands-Posten, but you likely recall their infamous issue. In 2005, the Danish newspaper published a series of Muhammad cartoons, one of which depicted the prophet with a bomb in his turban. The backlash was swift and intense. Riots erupted, and the Danish flag was set on fire. The controversy intensified when the team at Charlie Hebdo chose to reprint the cartoons as a gesture of solidarity.
Charlie Hebdo wasn’t the only publication to take this step. In Jordan, a weekly newspaper also featured the cartoons, accompanied by the caption “Be Reasonable.” However, for various reasons, it was Charlie Hebdo that garnered the majority of the media attention. The Great Mosque of Paris (which has condemned the recent attack) and the Union of Islamic Organisations of France took legal action against the magazine, and the case was brought to court. It was argued that the cartoons could incite racial violence in France, a charge carrying severe penalties. This legal battle coincided with a disturbing incident in which 50 Muslim graves were desecrated with pig’s blood and swastikas.
In the end, Charlie Hebdo and its team were acquitted under the French laws protecting freedom of expression. This was the first time many around the world had heard of the magazine, but certainly not the last.
7. The Anti-Semitic Column
It’s important to remember that Charlie Hebdo wasn’t solely focused on provoking Muslims. The editorial team took pride in offending everyone equally, particularly Jews and Catholics. One notorious cartoon depicted a Jewish Israeli shooting a Palestinian while shouting, “Take that, Goliath!” While the satire was intended to be humorous, it sometimes led to accusations of anti-Semitism, some of which were not entirely unfounded.
In 2008, Charlie Hebdo published a column by seasoned journalist Sine. In this column, Sine claimed that then-President Nicolas Sarkozy’s son was converting to Judaism for financial gain—a statement that was both offensive and entirely false. The backlash worsened when it was revealed that Sine had previously stated, “I’m an antisemite, and I’m not afraid to admit it. I want every Jew to live in fear, unless he’s pro-Palestinian. Let them die.”
The magazine eventually let go of Sine, stating that it had gotten into the habit of publishing his columns without properly reviewing them. Nevertheless, the controversy never fully died down.
6. Appointing Muhammad as Editor
Before the shooting, Charlie Hebdo’s most notorious moment occurred in 2011. In honor of the Islamist party’s victory in Tunisia’s elections, the magazine released its “Sharia” issue—allegedly guest-edited by Muhammad. Not surprisingly, it was highly offensive. The cover depicted the prophet with a speech bubble reading, “100 lashes if you don’t die laughing!” Yet, it wasn’t just the content that lingered in people’s minds, but the events that transpired in the hours leading up to the issue’s release.
At 1:00 A.M. that night, the offices of Charlie Hebdo were firebombed and reduced to rubble. Equipment, artwork, and personal belongings were all consumed by the flames. At the same time, hackers targeted the website, sending chilling death threats to the editorial staff. While no one lost their life, the attack delivered a sinister message to French society: comply or worse will follow. Many believed this might mark the end of Charlie Hebdo, but instead, they only ramped up their provocations.
5. Reacting to the Firebombing
In response to the firebombing, Charlie Hebdo aimed to provoke—and it certainly succeeded. Just one week after the attack, the magazine returned to newsstands, featuring one of its most iconic covers. Set against the backdrop of the charred remains of its former office, the cover depicted a Charlie Hebdo cartoonist and a Muslim man sharing a passionate kiss. The simple caption read, “Love Is Stronger Than Hate.”
Even for a publication known for routinely depicting Muhammad and scenes of Israelis killing Palestinians, this cover was particularly provocative. The magazine responded with an aggressive media campaign. Editor-in-chief Stéphane Charbonnier, known as “Charb,” didn’t hold back in condemning the “idiot extremists” responsible, stating that it was his duty to make their lives as challenging “as they do ours.” Soon after, he delivered his famous quote, which gained even more significance after the attacks on Wednesday:
“I don’t feel like I’m taking someone’s life with a pen. I’m not endangering anyone’s life. When radicals are looking for an excuse to legitimize their violence, they’ll always find one.”
4. The Catholic-Themed Covers
In addition to their criticism of Judaism and Islam, Charlie Hebdo also directed a great deal of scorn at Catholicism. Perhaps that's an understatement. According to various sources, the editors were just as critical of the Pope as they were of Muhammad. During the peak of the Church abuse scandal, they published a cover showing Pope Benedict XVI as a decaying corpse, advising his bishops on how to evade accusations of pedophilia. After Pope Francis took over, they released another cover cartoon portraying him as a bloated drag queen during Rio’s Mardi Gras. Another cover depicted bishops engaging in sexual acts with each other.
This type of content is significant because it demonstrates how Charlie Hebdo managed to provoke nearly every group worldwide. As we’ve mentioned, the Catholic League issued a statement asserting that Charb “provoked” the massacre and his own death by publishing “disgusting” cartoons of religious figures. While the group condemned the killings, they added a troubling note:
“Had [Charbonnier] not been so self-absorbed, he may [sic] still be alive.”
3. Charb’s Final Tweet
It is fitting that Charlie Hebdo’s final tweet before the attack was provocative. However, this particular tweet was more than just a challenge—it presented an enigma, a mystery that, as of now, remains unresolved.
The tweet featured a strikingly realistic image of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, created by one of the cartoonists who lost their life in the attack. The caption read, “Best wishes. To you too, Al-Baghdadi.” In response, al-Baghdadi is depicted saying, “And especially good health!” The tweet seems to lack any obvious meaning, yet its timing is remarkable. It appears to have been posted just seconds before the assault began, with some suggesting it might have been sent after the attackers had already started firing. The BBC even speculated that the account may have been hacked to deliver a message.
Regardless of the eventual truth, this won’t be Charlie Hebdo’s final act of defiance. The magazine is already planning to print one million copies next week, while media outlets worldwide are republishing the cartoons that led to the massacre. Though nine of its journalists have been killed, the publication’s legacy—provocative as it may be—will endure. Whether we agree with them or not, at this moment, we are all Charlie.
2. The ‘Intouchables 2’
In 2012, one of France’s biggest box-office successes was a film titled Intouchables. The story centers on a poor black man who becomes the caretaker of a wealthy, paralyzed white man. It was a sentimental tearjerker, lacking the nuance of a gentle touch and instead opting for the force of a sledgehammer. Nonetheless, it inspired one of Charlie Hebdo’s more controversial covers. The illustration depicted a Jewish caricature pushing a Muslim in a wheelchair, with the caption “You Shouldn’t Make Fun Of Us.” It was intended to spark a reaction.
The inside of the issue was even more incendiary. Riding on the coattails of the recent Innocence of Muslims release, it included an image of a filmmaker creating scenes with a naked Muhammad in pornographic poses. The magazine boldly stated that these images would undoubtedly “ignite the Muslim world.” And indeed, they did.
The day before the issue was set to hit the newsstands, France was forced to close 20 foreign diplomatic missions in fear of retaliatory violence against French citizens. Half the globe denounced the cartoons. The French press fiercely debated Charlie Hebdo’s actions, questioning its irresponsibility while defending its freedom of expression. Meanwhile, the magazine was assigned permanent police protection. Tragically, this would not be enough to prevent the tragic events that followed.
1. The Gay Marriage Issue
Even at their most provocative, Charlie Hebdo never published cartoons merely to offend. The magazine stemmed from a robust left-wing, feminist, and firmly liberal ideology. A core value of theirs was equal rights. So, when France’s right-wing Catholic groups rallied in massive protests against the legalization of gay marriage, the magazine responded with its own brand of satire.
In November 2012, their ‘Mariage Homo’ issue featured a provocative cover: Jesus and God engaged in an explicit act, with the Holy Spirit, to put it mildly, playing a certain role. It also took aim at outspoken opponent of gay marriage, Cardinal Vingt-Trois, with the cheeky caption, “Cardinal Vingt-Trois has three fathers.”
The backlash in France was nothing short of catastrophic. Catholics and Christians across the country were outraged, and opponents of gay marriage were severely offended. While gay marriage was eventually legalized, the cover sparked a controversy that endured for a long time.
