Charlie Hebdo ups print run to five million

THE print run of the first edition of Charlie Hebdo magazine since last week’s terrorist attacks has been increased to five million as newsagents sold out within minutes.

Long queues of eager customers formed before newsagents opened in France, with outlets reporting selling hundreds of copies within minutes of the magazine going on sale.

Despite initially planning to print up to three million copies, including versions in six different languages, the print run was increased due to almost immediate shortages of the magazine.

UK-based sellers of the magazine on eBay were attracting bids of more than £500 (€644) for copies of the magazine, the cover of which depicts a weeping prophet Muhammad holding a sign saying “Je suis Charlie” (I am Charlie) beneath the words ‘All is forgiven’.

Editor-in-chief of Charlie Hebdo, Gerard Biard,said that the edition had been put together with joy as well as pain and thanked institutions and individuals who pledged support following the attack.

“There will be a future, there is no doubt about that,” Biard said. “We don’t know what it will look like yet, but there will be a magazine, there will be no interruption.”

Meanwhile in Spain, El Jueves magazine hit the streets with a front cover tribute blending the names of the two magazines above a shower of blood over a cartoonist with the phrase “21^st century weapons, mediaeval brains, help!”

The front pages of El Jueves, which usually contain news, are dedicated exclusively to the Paris attacks and include comments from Spanish journalists and media personalities condemning the attacks and offering their respect and encouragement to Charlie Hebdo.