French cartoonist Jean Plantureux (AKA Plantu) has been acquitted of accusations of inciting hatred by a French appeals court. The accusations stem from a cartoon (below) that depicted Pope Benedict XVI having sex with a child.
A lower court acquitted Plantu last year, saying the cartoon came out at a time of increasing reports of children abused by Catholic priests, while the Vatican was silent. An appeals court Thursday upheld the original ruling.
Plantu argued that he was trying to defend Catholic children from abusive priests.
Here’s the cartoon in question:
I’m glad that Plantu got aquitted. As the founder of Cartooning For Peace, he did and is still doing lots of good things. What has the Catholic church done? Nothing but shielding and protecting
perverted child molesting priests.
Wonderful news that Plantu has been acquitted of any charges, but shocking that he should have been charged in the first place
.In the same country that supported the Charlie Hebdo magazine and has one of the strongest traditions in Europe of hard-hitting political satire, apparently the Catholic Church still wields a heavy hand. Perhaps they are one of those organizations that would say, “yes we believe in free speech, but…..”.
Bro, can’t agree more. To me, Freedom of Speech means to mock on everything and everybody. No Gods, no masters.