Murder in Paris: social media on Charlie Hebdo attack
Almost as soon as masked gunmen launched their attack on the Paris offices of the French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, social media websites began filling with details, reports and much speculation.
The first reports, which began to be posted on Twitter at about midday, said that 10 people had been killed by two gunmen.
Oh crap. Sky News reporting 10 people dead (!) at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris. Not sure what the source is. Worrying...
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) January 7, 2015
BREAKING NEWS: Ten dead in shooting at headquarters of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo - French media @Reuters @akhbar
— Jenan Moussa (@jenanmoussa) January 7, 2015
The French AFP news agency posted on Twitter that the gunmen had used Kalashnikov assault rifles and a rocket launcher (lance-roquette).
#CharlieHebdo: attaque à la kalachnikov et au lance-roquette par au moins deux hommes cagoulés (source proche de l'enquête) #AFP
— Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) January 7, 2015
This report was questioned by many, and was not confirmed in the following hours.
How could the attackers on #CharlieHebdo carry such heavy arms in a city like #Paris ?! #France
— Rima Maktabi (@rimamaktabi) January 7, 2015
Hebdo journalist Martin Boudot posted a picture on Twitter of his colleagues taking shelter on the rooftop of their offices, but subsequent posts about the attack have since been deleted.
Tuit de hace media hora: "Ataque por dos hombres armados. Nos refugiamos en tejado" https://t.co/nRi3vdPolV pic.twitter.com/ZQod7KiDVU
— Principia Marsupia (@pmarsupia) January 7, 2015
As more information came in, with reports of 12 dead including two policemen, social media users turned to Hebdo's Twitter account - the magazine's last post before the attack made fun of the Islamic State’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The post has since been reposted more than 22,000 times.
Charlie Hebdo's last cartoon on Twitter: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi saying "and especially, health!" (New Year's greeting) pic.twitter.com/UMEWDeR6z4
— DavidKenner (@DavidKenner) January 7, 2015
The magazine previously published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, which were deemed offensive by some Muslims. The Hebdo offices were firebombed in November 2011 after it published a "sharia edition".
— God (@TheTweetOfGod) January 7, 2015
The French president, Francois Hollande, headed immediately to the scene to condemn the attack.
French President Francois Hollande being briefed outside the Charlie Hebdo office, site of shooting incident. pic.twitter.com/KEOfj7ndPa
— leela jacinto (@leelajacinto) January 7, 2015
International condemnation followed from other world leaders, including the US president Barack Obama, German chancellor Angel Merkel and British prime minister David Cameron.
"I strongly condemn the horrific shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris" —President Obama pic.twitter.com/qr9zeGU04o
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 7, 2015
Angela Merkel and I met today. We're united in our condemnation of the horrifying Paris murders. pic.twitter.com/oSM2us6I8I
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) January 7, 2015
The most prominent institution on Sunni Islam learning, Egypts al-Azhar, roundly condemned the attack.
AlAzhar "does not approve of using violence even in response to an offence committed against sacred Muslim sentiments" #CharlieHebdo
— Bel Trew - بل ترو (@Beltrew) January 7, 2015
Later in the afternoon after much speculation, AFP reported 10 Hebdo staff, including 4 prominent cartoonists, had been confirmed killed in the attack.
#CharlieHebdo: Charb, Wolinski, Cabu et Tignous sont morts http://t.co/CdynLOg8r0 #AFP pic.twitter.com/YgiVHEeVQa
— Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) January 7, 2015
Video footage by documentary filmmakers, Premiere Lignes, showed the attackers escaping in a black Citroen.
Twitter users began a worldwide hashtag campaign #JesuisCharlie (I am Charlie), to express solidarity with the magazine. At about 6pm it had been included on 460,000 posts. A poster of the hashtag was tweeted by popular French radio host Bruno Guillon.
#JeSuisCharlie pic.twitter.com/YBfctgFHhh
— Bruno GUILLON (@BrunoGUILLONOff) January 7, 2015
It has subsequently been used as a symbol of press freedom and freedom of expression.
C'est un drame pour la France... #CharlieHebdo pic.twitter.com/lGfNUHfQIZ
— Cyprien (@MonsieurDream) January 7, 2015
Can't sleep tonight, thoughts with my French cartooning colleagues, their families and loved ones #CharlieHebdo pic.twitter.com/LqIMRCHPgK
— David Pope (@davpope) January 7, 2015
Protests and vigils were later staged in various capitals as Europe came to terms with the events in Paris.
This is Paris right now. #CharlieHebdo #JeSuisCharlie #ParisShooting pic.twitter.com/bCSaJa8Y6W
— Charlotte Meredith (@chmeredith) January 7, 2015
People now gathering at Pariser Platz in Berlin to show solidarity! #CharlieHebdo #JeSuisCharlie pic.twitter.com/K4WPc8iNxx
— Anne Laumen (@AnneLaumen) January 7, 2015
However, some Twitter users called for violence against Muslims in response to the attack. The hashtag #KillAllMuslims was the fifth most was the fifth most used on Wednesday in the UK.
"Kill all Muslims" pic.twitter.com/falGfQj1bJ
— Roqayah Chamseddine (@roqchams) January 7, 2015