Charlie Hebdo to print record 1m copies with support from French media and Google
Charlie Hebdo staff who survived an armed extremist attack have vowed to publish one million copies of the magazine next Wednesday.
The satirical magazine, which was marauded by extremists yesterday (7 January) in an attack inflicting 12 casualties, has received the support of French publishers and Google alike - each contributing €250,000 to ensure it goes to print.
Additonally, in a further bid to ease the burden, the magazine’s distributors will accept no fee for transporting Charlie Hebdo to news outlets across France.
Charlie Hebdo will also be boosted by calls from Martin Rowson, Guardian cartoonist and chairman of the British Cartoonists’ Association, for global artists to donate images to the publication.
Patrick Pelloux, a doctor who regularly contributed to the weekly vowed to continue his work, telling French broadcaster iTele that if the magazine closes, the attackers will win. He added: “It’s very hard. We are all suffering, with grief, with fear, but we will do it anyway because stupidity will not win.”
Following the attack, social media users came together in tribute of the publication using the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie.
The magazine, which has an average print run of 60,000, will be released with eight pages instead of its usual 16.