"Are there any Charlies here?" asked one breathless Parisian after the other at newsstands across the city Wednesday as they chased down copies of the satirical magazine's first edition since a jihadist attack decimated its editorial staff.
In the capital and around the country, most were left disappointed as the first delivery of what Charlie Hebdo has called the "survivors' issue" flew off the shelves in just minutes.
Catherine Boniface, 58, a doctor, tried several kiosks by the time she arrived at one in eastern Paris where the vendor said he had sold out all 150 copies within 10 minutes.
"I am a little disappointed. This issue is symbolic, it represents their persistance, they didn't yield in the face of" terror, said Boniface, who is not a regular reader of the weekly.
Researcher Pierre Asselin and his actor friend Eric gave up after their third attempt.
"We will try again tomorrow," said Asselin, as a girl rushing past to the metro station interrupted and asked: "Are there any Charlies here?"
"No", chimed Pierre and Eric. "Argh," the girl responded, rushing away.
On Twitter the hashtag #JaiMonCharlie (I have my Charlie) was trending in France for those lucky enough to get their hands on a copy.
And on eBay copies of the edition were being sold for thousands of euros, with one vendor offering his for 15,000 euros ($17,680).
Paris-based media watchdog group Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontieres) slammed the apparent opportunism as "absolutely indecent."
But secretary general Christophe Deloire said the rush for the magazine showed that "the assasins totally failed" in their efforts to kill Charlie Hebdo.
It was exactly a week ago that the satirical magazine, known for lampooning religions and angering Muslims by printing images of the Prophet Mohammed, came under attack.
Two black-clad gunmen wielding Kalashnikovs burst into Charlie Hebdo's editorial meeting at its Paris offices, spraying bullets in an attack that left a total of 12 people dead.
It was the start of three days of terror that gripped Paris as police hunted the gunmen, and an accomplice to the killers emerged, gunning down a policewoman before taking hostages at a Jewish supermarket where another four people died.
The magazine has been published in several countries outside France, and also flew off the shelves in Italy.
- 'A way to show support' -
To many French people, like teacher Jan Stragier, 33, buying the magazine is "a way to show support, it is a historical edition."
The weekly, which was struggling to sell its 60,000 copies a week ago, has launched an extended print run that will eventually reach five million copies.
"It was incredible. I had a queue of 60-70 people waiting for me when I opened," said a woman working at a newspaper kiosk in Paris.
"I've never seen anything like it."
The new issue features a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed on its cover, holding a "Je Suis Charlie" sign under the headline "All is forgiven".
It has angered Muslim groups in some countries that oppose depictions of Islam's founder, while the Islamic State group said it was an "extremely stupid" act.
"Our Mohammed is above all just a guy who is crying," said cartoonist Luz, who designed the new front cover. "He is much nicer than the one followed by the gunmen."
Michelle Meunier, 71 was one of the few who got her hands on the latest edition in its first print run of 700,000 copies.
"It isn't about luck. You need to wake up early and not stay warm in your bed," she said.
New copies are expected to reach newsstands across France in the coming days.
Anne, 45, was also left empty handed, but says she is not too disappointed.
"I am happy, it means it is successful," she said.
“Are there any Charlies here?” asked one breathless Parisian after the other at newsstands across the city Wednesday as they chased down copies of the satirical magazine’s first edition since a jihadist attack decimated its editorial staff.
In the capital and around the country, most were left disappointed as the first delivery of what Charlie Hebdo has called the “survivors’ issue” flew off the shelves in just minutes.
Catherine Boniface, 58, a doctor, tried several kiosks by the time she arrived at one in eastern Paris where the vendor said he had sold out all 150 copies within 10 minutes.
“I am a little disappointed. This issue is symbolic, it represents their persistance, they didn’t yield in the face of” terror, said Boniface, who is not a regular reader of the weekly.
Researcher Pierre Asselin and his actor friend Eric gave up after their third attempt.
“We will try again tomorrow,” said Asselin, as a girl rushing past to the metro station interrupted and asked: “Are there any Charlies here?”
“No”, chimed Pierre and Eric. “Argh,” the girl responded, rushing away.
On Twitter the hashtag #JaiMonCharlie (I have my Charlie) was trending in France for those lucky enough to get their hands on a copy.
And on eBay copies of the edition were being sold for thousands of euros, with one vendor offering his for 15,000 euros ($17,680).
Paris-based media watchdog group Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontieres) slammed the apparent opportunism as “absolutely indecent.”
But secretary general Christophe Deloire said the rush for the magazine showed that “the assasins totally failed” in their efforts to kill Charlie Hebdo.
It was exactly a week ago that the satirical magazine, known for lampooning religions and angering Muslims by printing images of the Prophet Mohammed, came under attack.
Two black-clad gunmen wielding Kalashnikovs burst into Charlie Hebdo’s editorial meeting at its Paris offices, spraying bullets in an attack that left a total of 12 people dead.
It was the start of three days of terror that gripped Paris as police hunted the gunmen, and an accomplice to the killers emerged, gunning down a policewoman before taking hostages at a Jewish supermarket where another four people died.
The magazine has been published in several countries outside France, and also flew off the shelves in Italy.
– ‘A way to show support’ –
To many French people, like teacher Jan Stragier, 33, buying the magazine is “a way to show support, it is a historical edition.”
The weekly, which was struggling to sell its 60,000 copies a week ago, has launched an extended print run that will eventually reach five million copies.
“It was incredible. I had a queue of 60-70 people waiting for me when I opened,” said a woman working at a newspaper kiosk in Paris.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The new issue features a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed on its cover, holding a “Je Suis Charlie” sign under the headline “All is forgiven”.
It has angered Muslim groups in some countries that oppose depictions of Islam’s founder, while the Islamic State group said it was an “extremely stupid” act.
“Our Mohammed is above all just a guy who is crying,” said cartoonist Luz, who designed the new front cover. “He is much nicer than the one followed by the gunmen.”
Michelle Meunier, 71 was one of the few who got her hands on the latest edition in its first print run of 700,000 copies.
“It isn’t about luck. You need to wake up early and not stay warm in your bed,” she said.
New copies are expected to reach newsstands across France in the coming days.
Anne, 45, was also left empty handed, but says she is not too disappointed.
“I am happy, it means it is successful,” she said.
