Je Lis Charlie: On Tuesday, New Yorkers were able to purchase the latest edition of Charlie Hebdo, published on schedule by the grief-stricken colleagues of the magazine’s four lead cartoonists, Cabut, Charb, Wolinsky and Tignous, who were murdered by two militant extremists firing AK-47s into their weekly editorial meeting on Jan. 7 in Paris. Six other editors, writers and guests, as well as two security guards, were killed during the attack. Tuesday morning, 100 copies of Charlie Hebdo were available for sale, for $6 apiece, at Albertine, the bookshop at the cultural services section of the French Embassy, on the Upper East Side. A New York Police Department security detail, including a K-9 unit, was positioned in front of the embassy. There was a slew of photographers awaiting exiting customers, whose copies of the satirical journal were hidden from view in shopping bags. The latter can now not only say, “Je suis Charlie,” but also “Je lis Charlie,” as in, “I read Charlie.” The satirical mag sports a caricature of a teary-eyed Mohammed, Islam’s prophet, holding a “Je Suis Charlie” sign, beneath the words in French, “All Is Forgiven.” But not everyone sees it that way. As of late Tuesday evening, in global protests and violence in response to the silly cartoon image, the worst was said to have been in Niger, where 10 people had reportedly been killed and an additional 173 injured, plus 45 churches set ablaze in the capital, Niamey, alone. In protests in Pakistan, a photographer was shot and wounded. Angry demonstrations were also reported in Gaza, Algeria and Jordan. French flags were torched in Senegal and Mauritania. There were even some peaceful protests.
The post-Schulkin shuffle: In local political news, Alan Schulkin has stepped down as Democratic state committeeman for the 66th Assembly District, which covers the Lower West Side from 14th St. to Tribeca. The area’s four district leaders (Arthur Schwartz, Keen Berger, John Scott and Jeanne Grillo) have announced an open process to fill the unsalaried position, which is “probably a first,” according to Schwartz. He tells us that any male interested in applying should contact him at aschwartz@afjlaw.com and he will be sent an application. The four district leaders, plus the presidents of Village Reform Democratic Club, Village Independent Democrats, Downtown Independent Democrats, Downtown Progressive Democrats, Lower Manhattan Democrats, Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club and Stonewall Democrats, and any interested elected officials (including state Senators Daniel Squadron and Brad Hoylman, Assemblymember Deborah Glick and Councilmembers Corey Johnson and Margaret Chin) will be able to screen applicants on Sat., March 6, Schwartz tells us. The four district leaders will then make the choice after hearing all the input. Within the first few days of word being out that the post is open, two men have applied, Chelsea activist Deley Gazanelli and Dennis Gault, a teacher and U.F.T. chapter chairperson and member of Community Board 1. Meanwhile, both Scott and Schwartz expect to be challenged for district leader — which is also an unsalaried position — in September.
