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The cover of the Jan. 14, 2015, edition of Charlie Hebdo depicts the Prophet Muḥammad crying while holding a sign that reads "I am Charlie." Above him reads "All is forgiven." (photo: Charlie Hebdo)
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The cover of the Jan. 14, 2015, edition of Charlie Hebdo depicts the Prophet Muḥammad crying while holding a sign that reads "I am Charlie." Above him reads "All is forgiven." (photo: Charlie Hebdo)
Tuesday, 17 March 2015 - 11:38
House with Charlie Hebdo poster repeatedly vandalized
A home in the Lombok neighborhood in Utrecht has been repeatedly vandalized because there is a Charlie Hebdo cartoon hanging behind one of its windows, RTV Utrecht reports.
Gerben Potman's house was first thrown with stones last week and then again on Sunday night. A few angry teenagers warned him that there would be another incident. His window was heavily damaged in last weeks incident, and according to Potman, the damage is now much worse.
Potman has pressed charges against the vandals. He put up the poster in his window to show solidarity with the makers of Charlie Hebdo. In January the offices of the French newspaper were attacked. Twelve people, including journalists and policemen, lost their lives.
D66 Utrecht calls the second vandalism on Potman's house terrible. Councilor Arjan Kleuver said that everyone has the right to freedom of expression. VVD Councillor Queeny Rajkowski said that everything possible must be done to apprehend the perpetrators. She hopes that Potman leaves the poster up. "If you take the poster down, you give in to intimidation."
