French satire magazine Charlie Hebdo went on fire for a cartoon showing the Queen kneeling on Meghan Markle’s neck, drawing parallels with George Floyd’s death.
The publication, which also faced scrutiny for its controversial drawings, again sparked outrage just days after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex claimed to have experienced open racism from family members and staff in the royal family.
The image appears to depict the horrific death of George Floyd, who died after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes, despite Floyd’s desperate pleas for help, shouting, “I can’t breathe.” .
The latest cartoon on the front page of the French satire magazine Charlie Hebdo, entitled “Why Meghan gave up Buckingham”, depicts the Queen kneeling on Meghan Markle’s neck as the Duchess says “because I couldn’t breathe anymore”, making comparisons to the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in May last year
The controversial cartoon, which has sparked anger online and among activists and activists, comes after the broadcast of Grandma’s interview with Oprah Winfrey was broadcast this week by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Pictured: Queen and Meghan Markle together in July 2018
During the interview (pictured), the royal couple claimed to have experienced open racism from family members and staff in the royal family.
On the front cover of the magazine, the cartoon is titled: “Why Meghan gave up Buckingham.”
The queen is depicted pressing her knee to the back of her neck, and Meghan replies, “Because I couldn’t breathe.”
It happens during the broadcast of Prince Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey this week, with allegations that they experienced racism in the royal family.
People on social media and activists described the cartoon as “wrong” and “terrible.”
The CEO of the racial equality think tank, Dr. Halima Begum, Runnymede, wrote on Twitter: “Charlie Hebdo, this is wrong at every level. The queen as George Floyd’s killer, crushing Meghan’s neck?
The latest cartoon draws parallels with the tragic death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last year
“Does Meghan say she can’t breathe?” This does not go beyond boundaries, it does not make anyone laugh or challenge racism.
“It removes problems and causes crime in general.”
In response, the WindrushAnchor campaign group said: “A weak and ill-conceived response from Charlie Hebdo, which, if anything, sets the problem on fire.
“This brand of simplistic satire does not take place in the fight against racism. Totally awful and sad.
Another Twitter user wrote: “Is this the freedom of speech that Charlie Hebdo is so passionate about? Did racism, disrespect and offense pass as satire? I’m sorry, but I’m not for myself.
“This is nothing but racist bigotry and incitement to hatred. Do better with your platform and grow. ‘
Others have accused the magazine of “pimping George Floyd’s trauma for profit,” reports The Mirror.
George Floyd’s death in May 2020 angered video footage of a police officer kneeling in his throat, despite the fact that he said he could not breathe and members of the public pleaded for him to stop.
Black Lives Matter protests took place around the world to speak out against police brutality and racial inequality after his death in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Activists and activists took to Twitter to share their disgust with the latest Charlie Hebdo cartoon, calling it “terrible” and “wrong.”
Earlier this week, Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to pay an unprecedented $ 27 million to settle a civil lawsuit from George Floyd’s family for his death in police custody.
The news of the settlement was announced while the jury’s selection continued in the murder trial of Chauvin, who killed Floyd by kneeling on his neck for nine minutes last summer.
And while some have simply expressed outrage over the cover of Charlie Hebdo, a human rights and civil rights activist @_SJPeace is calling for the magazine to be removed.
“A French magazine is laughing at Floyd’s death … and Meghan Markle,” he said.
“This magazine is famous because it is racist and offensive and that enlightens people of color. This magazine must be removed! ‘
Chauvin is seen kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, for nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis on May 25. Shortly afterwards, Floyd was pronounced dead at the scene
During Oprah’s shocking interview, Harry and Meghan claimed to have experienced open racism from family members and staff and claimed that a member of Harry’s family had even expressed “concern” about “how much dark ”would be their unborn son.
There has been much speculation about which member of the royal family they accused of racism.
But during the interview, the couple would not have attracted anyone who offended them deeply.
They also said that the family did not support the pressures they were going through, leaving Meghan to commit suicide and fuel her decision to leave the UK.
Harry said he was disappointed with his father, who he said refused to receive calls at one point and acknowledged that there was still a gap between him and his brother.
Although they did not expect to receive an easy journey, the royal family would have been amazed by the ferocity of the accusations leveled at them.
Prince William was the first royal senior to directly address the series of accusations made in the explosive Oprah interview, insisting that “I am not a racist family”
There was a significant internal debate over the refutation of many of them, but instead the queen personally opted for a “compassionate but firm” approach.
A few days after the interview, Prince William spoke to insist that the family members “are not a racist family”, a movement that was supported by the Queen and Prince Charles.
On Thursday, he became the first Windsor senior to directly address the series of allegations made in the explosive Oprah interview.
This is not the first time the magazine has been criticized for its controversial cartoons.
In January 2015, the magazine was the target of a terrorist attack, which saw 12 people killed and 11 injured.
Two armed and masked men, who identified themselves as belonging to the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda, entered the newsroom and shot several members of the staff.
The attack came after the magazine published cartoons of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in 2012.