Moroccan Police Investigate Controversial Macron Caricature in Rabat

This caricature was discovered at the end of last week. It shows the French head of state as a pig, against the background of the tricolor flag of the Republic, reports Assabah. The authorities have seized the caricature for the purposes of the investigation. The police will have to, among other things, view the surveillance cameras in the Agdal district in order to succeed in identifying the authors.

This incident comes at a time when tensions between France and the Middle East are intensifying in the aftermath of the assassination of history-geography teacher Samuel Paty, who showed caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad to his students. During the tribute paid to him, the French president promised not to "give up" on these caricatures, which are prohibited in Islam.

These remarks have provoked outrage in several Middle Eastern countries. Morocco, a long-standing partner of France, has strongly condemned the continued publication of caricatures that offend Islam and the Prophet. On the web, calls for a boycott of French products through Arabic hashtags have been launched.

Faced with the outcry, Mr. Macron tried to explain himself. He says he understands the feelings of Muslims. "I understand that caricatures can shock, but I will never accept that violence can be justified. Our freedoms, our rights, I consider it our vocation to protect them," he said in an interview with the Qatari channel Al Jazeera.