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‘Charlie Hebdo’ Criticized For Mocking Drowned Syrian Toddler Alyan Kurdi In Cartoon

By Lindsay McCane
Published on: 01:24 PST, Sep 16, 2015

Charlie Hedbo, the French satirical magazine, is being criticized after they published several cartoons in their latest issue mocking a drowned Syrian toddler, 3-year-old Alyan Kurdi.

The first cartoon shows a clown, resembling Ronald McDonald, with a sign that reads, “Welcome immigrants, so close to his goal. Promotion: Two children for the price of one.” Below the sign is a drawing of what appears to be Alyan laying on the beach face down as he was seen in the photograph that went viral last week.

The second controversial cartoon shows a man, supposedly resembling Jesus, walking on water. “Proof that Christians walk on water,” the cartoon reads. At the same time, a partially submerged child is seen saying, “Muslim children drown.”

Since the cartoons appeared in the magazine, Charlie Hedbo has been receiving tons of backlash on social media. Al Jazeera reports that the magazine may even be facing legal action for inciting hate crimes.

Barrister Peter Herbert, who is Chair of the Society of Black Lawyers and former vice chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority, said in a tweet that his organization is considering reporting the cartoons as “an incitement to hate crime [and] persecution before the International Criminal Court.”

“Charlie Hebdo is a purely racist, xenophobic and ideologically bankrupt publication that represents the moral decay of France,” he tweeted. “The Society of Black Lawyers will consider reporting this as incitement to hate crime and persecution before the International Criminal Court.”

As the Inquisitr previously reported, Aylan Kurdi drowned along with his mother, Rehan, 35, and his 5-year-old brother, Galip. Nine other refugees also drowned when the boat they were traveling in — made for only four passengers — capsized during their attempt to reach the Greek Island of Kos, an entry into Europe for refugees seeking asylum. The only member of Aylan’s family to survive was his father, Abdullah. Another 15 people were rescued from the boat.

The were desperately trying to emigrate to Canada, where Abdullah’s sister had offered to sponsor them.

“I was trying to sponsor them, and I have my friends and my neighbors who helped me with the bank deposits, but we couldn’t get them out, and that is why they went in the boat. I was even paying rent for them in Turkey, but it is horrible the way they treat Syrians there,” Teema Kurdi said.

While many social media users have called the cartoons “tasteless” and “disgusting,” others are saying the cartoons are not mocking the dead child, rather they are using the tragedy to ridicule Europe for not doing enough to prevent it.

What do you think about Charlie Hedbo’s cartoons? Leave your comments below.

[Photo by Carsten Koall/Getty Images]

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