A jihadist attack on a Paris satirical magazine killed 12 and triggered mass demonstrations involving millions across France.
Key Facts
- Date of attack
- 7 January 2015
- Killed in Charlie Hebdo attack
- 12 people
- Injured in attack
- 11 people
- Unity rally attendance (Paris)
- ~2 million, incl. 40+ world leaders
- Post-attack print run
- 7.95 million copies in 6 languages
- Convictions (Dec 2020)
- 14 accomplices convicted
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Charlie Hebdo magazine had long published provocative satirical cartoons targeting political and religious figures, including depictions of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in 2011 and 2012. These publications drew threats and a firebombing of its offices in 2011. Brothers Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, French-born of Algerian descent and affiliated with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, targeted the magazine in retaliation for these publications.
On 7 January 2015, the Kouachi brothers entered the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris armed with rifles and killed 12 people, wounding 11 others. They fled the scene, prompting a major manhunt. Over the following two days, related Islamist attacks occurred across Île-de-France, including a kosher supermarket siege that killed four Jewish hostages. Both brothers were killed by French security forces on 9 January when they emerged from a building firing.
France raised its terror alert level and deployed troops across the region. On 11 January, an estimated 3.7 million people demonstrated across France, with about two million gathering in Paris alongside more than 40 world leaders. The slogan 'Je suis Charlie' spread globally. Charlie Hebdo continued publishing; its next issue printed nearly 8 million copies. In December 2020, 14 accomplices were convicted in connection with the attacks.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Saïd Kouachi, Chérif Kouachi.
Side B
1 belligerent