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German newspaper that printed Charlie Hebdo cartoons is firebombed

Police are continuing to investigate an early-morning firebombing at the Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper offices on the weekend. The Morgenpost had printed Charlie Hebdo cartoons on its front page; authorities said it was unclear whether the attack was related to the publication.

by WAN-IFRA Staff executivenews@wan-ifra.org | January 12, 2015

(At left: The front page of Monday’s paper declares “We will remain MOPO” – the newspaper’s nickname – despite the attack.) No one was injured, and damage was slight. Two men were detained and questioned in connection with the attack but later released for lack of evidence. They had denied any involvement in the firebombing. Rocks and then a burning object were thrown through the window, a police spokesman told AFP.

“Two rooms on lower floors were damaged but the fire was put out quickly,” he told the wire service.

The Morgenpost, a tabloid, had published the cartoons on its front page Thursday with the headline “So viel Freiheit muss sein!” (“This much freedom must be possible”).

Norddeutscher Rundfunk reported that the attack received widespread publicity across Germany and the rest of Europe, and the Morgenpost received numerous expressions of solidarity via Twitter.

The public broadcaster also reported that top Hamburg officials visited the newsroom to inform themselves and express their support for the editorial staff.

The local press association condemned the attack as a “cowardly and treacherous terrorist act against press freedom.” The head of the association, Jürgen Heuer, said Morgenpost can count on the solidarity of all Hamburg journalists. “The media will not allow themselves to be intimidated,” he said.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière said the attack gave cause for concern and vigilance. He declined to speculate about the background of the firebombing while the investigation continues.

“We strongly condemn the attack against Hamburger Morgenpost and offer our full support to its staff at this difficult time,” said WAN-IFRA CEO Vincent Peyrègne. “The authorities must be allowed to conduct a full inquiry to determine who is responsible so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice. We fully support the right of every publication to react and respond in their own manner, and according to their own editorial policies, regarding the Charlie Hebdo cartoons or any other content.”

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