FILE. Man remembers the attack on the Charlie Hebdo editorial office: “I talk about it, and I feel like I'm reliving that day, incredulous…”

Manuel Lapert, dit Man, le dessinateur de Midi Libre. Midi Libre – MICHAEL ESDOURRUBAILH

Manuel Lapert, known as Man, the cartoonist for Midi Libre, remembers the day he learned of the Charlie Hebdo attack, and is worried about the threats to press cartoons.

“It's the kind of stuff you don't believe when you hear it for the first time. I was at home, it was crazy…” remembered Manuel Lapert, Man for the readers of Midi Libre where he draws daily, when we asked him for his testimony.“Even today, I talk about it, I feel like I'm reliving that day, incredulous”.

He remembers his drawing the next day: “I think I drew Cabu, Wolinski, and Tignous who said: “It's hard to be killed by idiots.” Honoré’s death had not been confirmed, I had not drawn him, I regretted it… He was exceptional. Like the others…”.

“We must not give up”

And when asked if press cartoons are under threat today, as a consequence, among other things, of this dramatic January 7, 2015, he agrees: “Yes, that’s obvious. Newspapers have abandoned press cartoons, like the New York Times, after a cartoon that caused a scandal. I don’t get the chance to draw Mohammed’s face every day, but the right to blasphemy must be defended. We must not give up, but no one should, not only cartoonists, teachers or journalists either.”

I subscribe to read the rest