Protesters denounce cartoon, stage sit-in at college newspaper
By The Associated Press
09.19.01
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BERKELEY, Calif. — Dozens of students ended their protest early today at the offices of the University of California, Berkeley, student newspaper that ran an editorial cartoon depicting Muslims in hell.
The protesters had declared a sit-in yesterday and decried what they called a racist cartoon run in that day’s edition of The Daily Californian. They left peacefully by 5 a.m. today.
The cartoon showed two Muslim Arabs wearing turbans sitting in a demon’s hand, about to be consumed by the flames of hell. One said to the other, “We made it to paradise. Now we will meet Allah and be fed grapes and be serviced by 70 virgin women ...”
One student editor of the paper, who wanted to remain anonymous, said late yesterday that the offices had been “under siege” for most of that day and that, as the evening wore on, the number of protesters had steadily increased.
By 1 a.m. today, a student with the newspaper reported that more than 100 people remained in the office with “no sign that they will leave.”
Graduate student and protester Osama Qasem said a list of six demands had been given to the newspaper's staff, which included a request for a printed apology in the paper and allowing only
student-produced art and cartoons to be published by the paper in the future. The cartoon in question was drawn by syndicated cartoonist Darrin Bell.
In a statement issued early today, the Senior Editorial Board of the newspaper said it would not issue an apology for the cartoon. The board said the cartoon represented the opinion of the
cartoonist and "in no way reflects the views and opinions of The Daily Californian" staff.
"Although the concerns of appropriateness and timing are understood, we maintain the cartoon falls within the realm of fair comment," the board said. "Cartoons are usually exaggerated,
sometimes satire and almost always meant to spark a discussion. We are willing to begin a reasoned discourse on this issue with a representative group of student leaders."
"Freedom of speech should not come at the cost of anyone's safety," said Robert Chala of the UC Berkeley Arab Student Union and Students for Justice in Palestine. "This cartoon is a license
for violence against Arab, Muslim, Sikh, Iranian and other communities."
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Berkeley administrators plan to hold disciplinary hearings for 32 students involved in April sit-in, even though county prosecutors have dropped charges.
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