A NEWSAGENTS in Oxford run by a Muslim has decided to sell the latest edition of the French magazine Charlie Hebdo despite criticism from a cleric.
Wendy News in Broad Street has ordered about 500 copies of the weekly magazine, the latest edition of which displays a cartoon of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad on the front page.
Shop owner Eshar Abdul Kareem, who is Muslim, said: “Our decision behind ordering the magazine was because many customers came into the shop and wanted to buy it and wanted to know if we were going to sell it.
“People were saying they wanted to see what the front cover looked like and what was written inside, so we thought we would try to get it in and we have managed to get a delivery for next week.”
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Five million copies have been printed to satisfy increased demand for the first magazine since the terrorist attacks on the Charlie Hebdo office in Paris on January 7, which left 12 people dead.
The latest front cover sparked outrage locally with Dr Hojjat Ramzy, director of the Islamic Information Centre in George Street, claiming the whole of the Muslim community has been insulted.
He led a protest against the magazine last night in Bonn Square, which was attended by about 20 people.
Dr Hojjat Ramzy adapts the ‘Je Suis Charlie’ placards in his protest against the sale of the satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo at Wendy News
Dr Ramzy said: “By Charlie Hebdo publishing this picture of our Prophet we have been insulted. I believe that Charlie Hebdo is an extremist magazine and they are trying to intimidate Muslim communities.
He added: “I totally condem the terrorist attacks in Paris but I condem the magazine’s action by repeating the picture. It wasn’t necessary.”
Dr Ramzy was also unhappy with the decision of Wendy News to sell the magazine but called on residents not to respond with violence.
He added: “They should not sell it as it insults the Muslim community.
“People will maybe feel intimidated by it being sold but I hope and pray there is no backlash from this and everything can be peaceful.”
Mr Kareem defended his decision: “We sell to different people on what they want and so the reason behind selling this particular magazine is because we have had a lot of interest from our customers.
“I don’t really care about this.”
Wendy News worker Hamid Hadi added: “So many of our customers asked us to order it. They don’t care about the picture. People want to see what was written in the magazine.”
Oxford City Council leader Bob Price said he understood why some Muslims might be offended by the magazine.
He said: “I understand concerns but it is Wendy News’ decision to sell it and it’s Charlie Hebdo’s decision to publish it.
“It is a free press and there are no laws preventing that.”
Jonathan Neale, 66, a writer from Oxford, was one of those at last night’s protest.
He said: “I’m a writer by trade and a believer in the freedom of press.
“I think it’s obviously insulting to Muslims, I personally wouldn’t sell it but it’s not up to me.”
Also present was Imam Ahmed Qazi, 27, who said: “I want to condemn the attacks in Paris. We expected some kind of respect from Charlie Hebdo especially after our condemnation of the attacks.”
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