Mason Jones (Reporter)
SPANISH satirical magazine El Jueves has sparked controversy by using a cartoon line-up of ‘Muslims’ on its front cover.
The weekly magazine, hints that one of the images could be the prophet Muhammed under the headline: “But does anyone know what Muhammad looks like?”
El Jueves editor Mayte Quilez has defended the polemical piece, stating that it is ‘a parody of the situation we are experiencing’ in Islamic countries.
“If you can’t depict Muhammad, how do you know it is him in the cartoons?” she added.
The news comes after an American short film and cartoons published by French magazine Charlie Hebdo ignited mob violence across the Middle East.
El Jueves also ran an alternative cover on its Facebook page with the headline: “Any excuse to burn an American embassy.”
“We’re against an intransigent group which pressurizes and kills in the name of something,” said Quilez.
This isn’t the first time the Spanish magazine has made ‘Muhammed jokes’ in recent years.
When Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten caused mass controversy in 2005 with drawings of the Muslim prophet, El Jueves reacted with the headline ‘We were going to draw Muhammad, but we sh*t ourselves!’
Why not? There are plenty of jokes about other religions. Jewish jokes are legion, for instance. Lighten up lads.
A recommended read for anyone who finds the Spanish sense of humour difficult to fathom out. Non of your BBC PC in here.