The murders in Paris of journalists at Charlie Hebdo magazine has dominated the news and social media. Photographs that were widely seen in newspapers showed world leaders leading one of the biggest marches ever seen in France, and seemingly showed them showing solidarity with the victims of the attack. Or did it? The reality and the use of the photograph reminded us to critically question everything we see in the media (or read on websites). People have used the event to advance a number of opposing views, but many revolve around the notion of the right to free expression, such as the same world leaders are trying to limit in their own countries.
Here’s one version of the photograph.
Here’s the same moment (different photograph) as printed in a conservative Israeli newspaper. The female leaders, including Angela Merkel the German Chancellor, have been removed from the picture – perhaps the Editor would have preferred them to wear veils, which unfortunately banned in France.
I’m all for balance, so here’s the photo with all the male heads of state removed:
And finally, they weren’t really mixing with the lumpen masses, as this alternative angle shows:
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