Morbihan. Ten years later, are you still “Charlie”?

Published: January 6, 2025 at 9:10 p.m. – Modified: January 6, 2025 at 9:12 p.m. by Dolorès CHARLES

This horrible attack, in a Parisian press editorial office, led to massive demonstrations throughout France to defend the right to caricature, and the slogan “I am Charlie” was multiplying on social networks as well as on the walls.

Ten years later, are you still Charlie?

Are you still Charlie? Here are some responses collected in Morbihan: “We are always Charlie because drawing should not lead to this kind of thing… I never bought Charlie Hebdo, but I defend the concept and the desire to defend freedom of expression, to tell people who think that by scaring other people we will achieve these goals, tell them no!

We must still avoid stirring up hatred: their lives would not have been in danger for that, but there are times they should avoid going too far… I remember, I was in college and we talked about it with the teachers. It had a big impact on me at the time! Today, I am still Charlie and the right to expression, to freedom of expression, is a fundamental right.”

Credit : Yann Launay

“I am Charlie”: the slogan was repeated everywhere, the day after the attack which decimated the editorial staff of Charlie Hebdo. A vast national momentum then reaffirmed the importance of freedom of expression and the importance of the right to satire.

What about freedom of speech?

Ten years later, do you believe that freedom of expression, particularly on the subject of religion, has progressed or, on the contrary, regressed? “I think that if there had not been Charlie Hebdo, perhaps unconsciously we would have lost this freedom of expression and that thanks to Charlie Hebdo, we are still trying to defend this freedom of expression which is far from be obvious. The attacks that we are still experiencing today permanently threaten our freedom of expression.

Everyone forgets very quickly and we learn almost nothing from mistakes, I think. It's just caricature, and if we no longer caricature anything, it will be the total victory of the wooden language that we must avoid…

We can no longer laugh at everything, comedians are restricted, and we realize that social networks make everything go into overdrive! We can't laugh at everything anymore, unfortunately, and that's a shame!”

Credit : Yann Launay

According to a survey Ifop to appear in the special issue of Charlie Hebdo76% of French people defend the freedom to caricature, and 62% of respondents say they are in favor of the right to outrageously criticize a belief, a symbol or a religious dogma.

But when we ask respondents if today they would participate in Republican marches under the slogan “Je suis Charlie”, only 44% answered yes, compared to 53% in 2020.

The special issue of Charlie Hebdo, with a print run of 300,000 copies, is on newsstands. In particular, inside drawings received from all over the world for the competition for the funniest and meanest caricature on God.