Charlie's journalists had no such luck.
In an opinion piece on the Financial Times website on Wednesday, the paper’s Europe editor Tony Barber condemned the attack but said Charlie was “not the most convincing champion of the principle of freedom of speech”.
He was wrong. In that it expressed its opinions and encouraged others to express theirs, Charlie fully exercised and defended the fundamental right to free speech.
Charlie portrayed many of its targets, including Islam and its central figures, in an offensive and disrespectful way that GlobalCapital does not endorse. It did not purvey what we would consider responsible journalism.
Furthermore, there must be limits to free speech, as is evident to all when it comes to, for example, gross racism or libel. But these limits must be set by law. Charlie had been sued and found not guilty.
Whether Charlie was fair, accurate or even funny is irrelevant: it had a voice, has a voice, just as should any non-violent and legal political or religious group in France and across Europe.
Cabu, one of France’s great cartoonists, was shot dead. So too was Charb, the editor. Altogether, eight of the paper’s journalists, two policemen, a service agent and a guest editor were killed. Others were wounded. Our hearts are with them.
The issues Charlie dealt with may seem remote from the financial world. But we too, as financial journalists, sometimes have to say things people don’t like.
We stand with all journalists and all democrats in defence of free speech. Today we stand with Charlie.