Editorial: Assault on free speech

A mourner holds a banner reading 'I am Charlie' during a rally in support of Charlie Hebdo. AP

We woke yesterday to news of the horrific attack by armed gunmen on the offices of satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo.

Twelve people including the editor were killed.

Charlie Hebdo is known for publishing controversial content. Reports say it's clear there's a link between its provocative cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed and the attack. One witness who survived by hiding under a table heard the pair cry "we have avenged the prophet".

The attack has been roundly, and rightly, condemned.

It was a terrible day, not just for journalism, not just for freedom of speech, not just for Islam - which is bearing the backlash in increasingly intolerant sectors of Europe, but for humanity in general. Immediately following the incident some media outlets were already censoring themselves - perhaps fearful that reproducing images from Charlie Hebdo would see themselves targeted.

In contrast though, many stood up and said "Je Suis Charlie", aligning themselves not only with those slain, but with others digusted, perplexed and saddened by events in Paris.

Comments that basically say Charlie Hebdo chief editor Stephane Charbonnier got what he deserved are well out of line.

Former journalist and Maori Party candidate Derek Fox wrote yesterday that Charbonnier had "paid the price for his assumption of cultural superiority and arrogance ... Well he was wrong, unfortunately in paying the price for his arrogance he took another 11 people with him".

His remarks assume Charbonnier was defending a supposedly superior culture while arrogantly attacking another. That might be the case, if Charlie Hebdo had not a reputation for attacking hypocrisy, intolerance and extremism across all cultures.

Worryingly, Mr Fox also said: "This should serve as a lesson to other people who believe they can use the power they wield by way of dominating the media to abuse and ridicule others they believe inferior to them - just like [in] this country."

There's a difference between abuse or ridicule and having a differing opinion on something, but for some that seems a fine line.

Sadly, there are many in this country for whom there's no such thing as a differing opinion. There's only right and outrageously wrong.