Germany: Hamburg newspaper firebombed after reprinting Mohammed cartoons
Publisher | Reporters Without Borders |
Publication Date | 11 January 2015 |
Cite as | Reporters Without Borders, Germany: Hamburg newspaper firebombed after reprinting Mohammed cartoons, 11 January 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57b5b29f11.html [accessed 10 October 2022] |
Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
January 11, 2015
Reporters Without Borders is appalled by last night's arson attack on the Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper after it published several Mohammed cartoons as a tribute to the Charlie Hebdo journalists who were murdered last week.
Rocks and a firebomb were thrown through the Hamburg-based newspaper's basement widow, starting a small fire that damaged files but caused no injuries.
Although the motive for the attack has not been identified, it came two days after the newspaper reprinted several of the Mohammed cartoons that were published by the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
"We firmly condemn this arson attack," Reporters Without Borders deputy programme director Virginie Dangles said. "Media freedom is a non-negotiable fundamental right. Attacks of this kind against media or journalists are completely unacceptable."
The car of a photojournalist who often covers neo-Nazi demonstrations was the target of an arson attack in Berlin last month. He was one of 18 photojournalists whose names and photos appeared on a "wanted list" posted online in November by far-right activists.