Friday, September 21, 2001

Berkeley students demand apology for editorial cartoon

BERKELEY, Calif. (U-WIRE) — More than 100 protesters clogged the lobby of The Daily Californian office for several hours late Tuesday night demanding an apology for an editorial cartoon printed in Tuesday’s edition. A statement prepared by the student editors said the newspaper “will not issue an apology” for the cartoon, which “in no way reflects the views and opinions of The Daily Californian.”

It also said the cartoon “falls within the realm of fair comment,” despite concerns over appropriateness and timing.

By press time, the protesters still had not been informed that there would be no apology. The editors were continuing to wait for more police officers to arrive before releasing the statement to protesters.

The cartoon, drawn by independent cartoonist Darrin Bell, depicts two men dressed in robes, with long beards and turbans, standing in a large hand amid flames. One man is saying, “We made it to paradise! Now we will meet Allah, and be fed grapes, and be serviced by 70 virgin women, and ...” The other man is dropping a book with the words “Flight Manual” on the cover.

“Look on page 5 of Tuesday’s Daily Californian,” said Will Youmans, a Boalt Law School student and a member of Students for Justice in Palestine. “You will see the most vile form of ethnic characterization because it comes during a time when many people are suffering a severe backlash.”

By midnight, Vice Chancellor Horace Mitchell, Dean of Students Karen Kenney, University of California police chief Victoria Harrison and Chief of Staff to the Chancellor John Cummins had arrived.

“They have to be held accountable,” said Wajahat Ali, a member of the Muslim Student Association.