Coco, cartoonist who survived Charlie Hebdo. “We are survivors. Welded for life.”

We could count on the brave Charlie Hebdo not to tearfully commemorate the tenth anniversary of the January 7, 2015, jihadist attack that left twelve dead. Charlie Liberty. The journal of their lives, or the anti-tomb, brings together hundreds of wildly funny pictures by Charby, Tignous, Cabu, Wolinsky, Honoré and others, spanning sixty years of satire.

And a flame-throwing text from Rhys, who regrets that some politicians are putting things right and want to reduce the scope of freedom of expression. From this point of view, the designer Koko, on the morning of January 7, 2015, was targeted by the Kouachi brothers and decided: Draw againFreedom of speech has an inestimable price, on which we cannot compromise. Combat interview.

Madame Figaro. – It is the title of the book Charlie Liberty . With brotherhood, is this what allowed you all to continue the paper after the attack on January 7, 2015?
Coco.– Freedom of speech is its essence Charlie Hebdo. It is for him that we fight, that we paint, that we persist in our existence. We feel that our freedoms are increasingly threatened. In the form of a resignation, with tolerance to the blows of the republican contract and secularism, under the vague name of “without waves”. More than ever we must fight.

Who had the idea for the book?
We were thinking about a ten-year period. I hate the idea of ​​a memorial. It’s formal. But we think about our beloved dead killed by two mindless barbarians every day. We often wonder what Charb, Tignus, Kabou would have drawn or written in the last ten years. How they would have reacted to the beheading of Samuel Petty, Dominique Bernard, climate change. We miss their laughter, Charb’s outbursts , the insane tenderness of Kabu, the aesthetics of Honoré, Mustafa the mischievousness, the elegance of Bernard Maris. If Charb had lived, he would have said: “Terrorists will not kill CharlieThe day after the attack, we decided to create a “number of the saved” with a drawing of Luz, with a tear in her eye, waving a “Je suis Charlie” sign above her, eight million copies of this manifesto sold…

Have you considered stopping painting?
On the morning of the 7th, the Kouachi brothers pointed their Kalashnikovs at my head, asking me to open the door, otherwise… On the evening of the attack, I gave evidence at the Quai des Orfèvres, went home, took a shower. crying for an hour. It was empty forever, and the next day I started painting again. I thought about it all night. They were attacked with horrible images. But I picked up the pencil again. No choice. Their deaths obliged me.

The fools, for example, are not the believers, but the Salafist fundamentalists. Qaboo drew a picture of a prophet who was pained to see his message of love distorted by fools.

Coco

How did you come? Charlie Hebdo ?
Studied art in Poitiers, loved it Pink Panther, Beep Beep and Coyotereal baby! I did an end of year internship Charlie Hebdo In 2007 Kabu took me under his wing, which was mild. In 2008, Philip Val published my first picture, a relatively mediocre one, but the next week I submitted another picture, and it was a revelation. I used this term during the trial. I had found my community. Committed, extremely funny and, moreover, an atheist.

Atheism has been instrumental in working towards this Charlie ?
Yes! I am an atheist. That’s my freedom. Working in newspapers, where we can criticize the fundamentalism of the trinity, I found it beneficial. Furthermore, I have books on the history of Jesus, I like the plays of Hell and Heaven by Anne de France. , in Bosch’s books of hours, etc.

Rhys mentions the editorial atheism several times in the book. Charlie Hebdo can it accommodate mystical or religious designers, but who reserve their practice for the intimate realm?
Yes, it happened. We are satirical cartoonists, atheists and secularists, but curious, interested in religions. In 2006, the editorial team decided to reproduce the cartoons of Muhammad published by a Danish daily newspaper in 2005, which caused bloody outrage in Muslim countries. Charlie published a picture of Kabu “Muhammad oppressed by fundamentalists” in which the Prophet says: “It’s hard to be loved by fools.” The fools, for example, are not the Salafist fundamentalists. Kabou drew a picture of a prophet who was sorry to see his message of love distorted by hateful idiots.

We have the impression that today only the extreme right condemns Islamism and Salafism. This should be the struggle of all Republicans

Coco

And this hateful reading led to the jihadist attacks of January 2015. Do you think millions of people would be shouting “Je suis Charlie” in the streets of France if the attacks happened today?
I’m not sure. We who defend the right to caricature have long been universalist and secularist. It seems that fatigue is really getting to him, this poor guy left on January 10th, 2015 On the 11th, there was an outburst of love. People were demonstrating for Charliefor the caricature of the police, Jews killed in Hypercacher. Over the years we’ve heard a funny little tune. “Didn’t they go too far? We are very upset, we have the impression that today only the extreme right condemns Islamism and Salafism. This should be the struggle of all republicans. Here are these silences…

Silencer.
Absolutely. Rhys recently spoke about the memorial day for the assassination of Samuel Patty, which was attended by a very emotional Jean-Marc Ayrault. The same one, who was the prime minister at that time, criticized our caricatures in 2012, assuming that we were adding fuel to the fire. As if we are a little guilty for what happened to us in 2015, in short. This is the famous reversal of stigma. The victims are to blame… All these little cowardices make us even more combative.

the death of Simone Fieschi in October assault survivor upset you.
He was lunar, funny, brilliant, with a unique outlook on life. He spent eight months in the Infirmary, shattered by a bullet, Simon said. “I was too lazy to die.” His testimony at the trial was overwhelming.For all of us, he was the ultimate survivor. if simon could get back up so can we. we’ve lost a wonderful family member Charlie:

Looks like the fatigue is really getting to him, this poor guy is gone.

Coco

Ten years after the attack, how are you, Coco?
The 2020 trial was crucial. Talking and testifying made me afraid again, but I like it. I am drawing. I know where I come from. I’m not a ghost. I am a survivor. We are neither victims nor ex-victims. We are survivors. Welded for life.

Charlie Liberty. The journal of their lives, col. Charlie Hebdo, Ed. Les Échappés, 224 pages, €29.90 Released December 5.