In the aftermath of this week’s deadly Paris attack, one of the most obvious questions being posed is whether the satirical publication Charlie Hebdo can survive after several of its senior journalists were killed in the attack.
While remaining staff members have vowed to publish one million copies of the magazine next week – instead of the typical 60,000 – the future of Charlie Hebdo beyond that is unclear.
“The newspaper will continue, they have not won,” proclaimed Dr. Patrick Pelloux, a columnist for the magazine who is also a paramedic and one of the first to arrive on the scene to provide medical aid after the shootings.
“They were extraordinary men and women,” Pelloux said about his friends and co-workers. “They were killed during a meeting discussing a conference on the fight against racism.” 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.”
In a gesture of help to the magazine staff, Radio France, Le Monde and France Televisions released a joint statement vowing to help the publication continue.
“The three groups invite the French media to mobilize this morning and come together to protect the principles of independence and freedom of thought and expression: guarantors of our democracy,” said a statement by the media organizations.
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