Marika Bret is president of Printemps Republican.
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On March 11, 2024, like every day,
Libération
published a press cartoon of Coco and broadcast it on social networks.
This drawing makes the link between two current events: the famine raging in Gaza and the start of Ramadan.
There we see, at the foot of buildings gutted by Israeli bombs, a hungry Gazan ready to feed on rats running among the ruins.
A woman stops him by saying:
“Ttt… Not before sunset!”
.
Clearly, to the horror is added the absurdity of a religious obligation.
Miles of hateful comments follow under this post.
Anthology:
“Laughing at a genocide, I hope that history will not forget you”
,
“Rot, scum, you are genocidal”
,
“May God have pity on the Kouachi brothers”
,
“When their brains will be punched out by guys to whom you have provided the motivation, you will not have to ask for solidarity marches again”
or even
“Dov Alfon who runs
Libération
is a French-Israeli journalist, writer, former Israeli intelligence officer, freedom of expression..Zion” ,
as well as
“Let’s remember that Patrick Drahi bought this newspaper”
, etc.
Low ceilings who do not understand the deeper meaning of this drawing, insult and threaten death.
A pack unleashed to spread anti-Semitism.
And certain political leaders, on the left, did not fail to participate in this concert of offended people, thus fueling the buzz machine, the outlet of hatred: Chloé Ridel, spokesperson for the Socialist Party declared that
“this drawing is filthy
. ”
Sarah Legrain, LFI MP and French teacher, wrote:
“Quite simply filthy.
And don't come crying about freedom of expression.
You have it.
Just when you do anything with it, don't be surprised if someone tells you..."
.
Carlos Martens Bilongo, LFI deputy, described it as
“shameful”
.
Coco's work is essential in our democracy.
His talent is the best response to stupidity and ignorance.
Marika Bret
Outrage - it's a right - on what arguments?
We won't know, the peremptory is enough for them.
The most perverse position is adopted by Sophia Chikirou, LFI deputy:
“You will not have my hatred.
But you deserve it
. ”
In other words, she does not advocate terrorism - which is a crime - but if someone does dirty work against her, she approves.
After the assassination of professors - Jonathan Sandler, Samuel Paty, Dominique Bernard - political commissioners of press cartoons, convinced that their point of view contributes greatly to the good understanding of a drawing, respond once again: freedom of expression , "Yes, but".
After the Islamist attack which struck the editorial staff of
Charlie Hebdo
, elected officials representing the nation, and not just an electorate who voted in their favor - do we need to remind them?
-, join in the ball of obtuse and cowardly people, reminding Coco of the horror of January 7, 2015, this “price to pay” for expressing oneself freely.
When some, on the left, point the finger at a cartoonist who in reality displeases them since the publication of the caricatures on Mohammed, they show what they are: undertakers ready to nail his coffin, and with it, that of our freedom to write and draw.
Coco's work is essential in our democracy.
His talent is the best response to stupidity and ignorance.
It is up to us, Republicans, to act as a bulwark against those who put a target on his back.
It's up to us to hammer home it as many times as necessary: France is a country which has abolished the offense of blasphemy punishable by the death sentence - a law still in force in other countries, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, Somalia , among others - and we will not give in.
Never.