A front page Charlie Hebdo cartoon by Juin on the recent House of Windsor/Mehgan Markle kerfuffle has outraged fans of the monarchy, and foes of racism for a disturbing riff on George Floyd’s death.
Reactions as collected by OyeYeah:
“This is nothing but racist bigotry and inciting hate”
“Charlie Hebdo is a racist rag”
“Appalling misjudgement of the mood on all sides.“
The cartoon, published on Saturday [March 13, 2021], is titled ‘WHY MEGHAN QUIT BUCKINGHAM’, with a speech bubble above Meghan that says: ‘Because I couldn’t breathe anymore!’
The cartoon also angered some of those fond of the Queen, as she is shown in an extremely derogatory light – red-eyed, gurning, with hairy legs.
“I just have no words for how disgusting that is”
“How terribly insensitive! That’s unacceptable!”
“The Charlie Hebdo cartoon about Meghan is vile and disgraceful.”
But ED also had views from the other side:
“A genius cover, that’s why you’re discussing it.”
“If it offends you, that’s your problem. Free speech is not negotiable. Your bullets or your words will not silence free speech.”
meoww, like everyone, reports on the Runnymede Trust response:
Dr Halima Begum, CEO of the Runnymede Trust, a UK-based racial equality think-tank, said the cover was “wrong on every level”. “This doesn’t push boundaries, make anyone laugh or challenge racism. It demeans the issues and causes offence, across the board,” she tweeted.
though meoww also notes an incongruity in the Royal response:
Others began posting images of a British order of chivalry founded in 1818 by King George IV, an insignia, which often depicts St Michael subduing Satan. The KCMG award ‘The most distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George’ is awarded for service to the United Kingdom. The medal has distressing racist imagery and is a symbol of how insidious racism is in our culture.
“Sharing this again and sorry but where’s the different [sic] with Charlie Hebdo? We keep asking your Queen to change some symbols and the monarchy attitude to #MeghanMarkle.. don’t like #CharlieHebdo but I am French and The Monarchy is a non sense [sic] in 2021. #AbolishTheMonarchy.”
As this is posted there has been no response from Charlie Hebdo.