Sky News Freaks Out When Journalist Shows Charlie Hebdo Cover on Air
During an interview on Sky News, French journalist and Charlie Hebdo contributor Caroline Fourest attempted to make a point about the U.K. media's decision not to show the most recent Charlie Hebdo cover (which features a cartoon of a penis-shaped Muhammad) by holding the cover up for the cameras.
"It is completely crazy that in U.K. you cannot show a simple drawing as that," she said, producing her copy of the issue.
Sky News made Fourest's point for her, though, immediately cutting back to the studio and apologizing for what viewers just saw—the top part of the cover, the words "Charlie Hebdo" and "all is forgiven" in French, and just the balls of the phallic Muhammad.
"Most U.K. newspapers, broadcasters and other news outlets have opted not to show the cover" to avoid offense to Muslims, the Independent reports. Meanwhile, in France, people lined up in droves to get a copy—some even fighting over them, reportedly—and the satirical paper increased its print run for the issue to 5 million to keep up with demand.