 | « Back to article | Print this article |
An Indian-origin shopkeeper from a village in south-west England has decided to sell the latest edition of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo despite fears of repercussions.
"It is important for future generations to see this, to know what happened," Ila Aghera, 54, told The Telegraph.
Aghera, who runs Forge News in Charlton Kings area of Cheltenham, has defied any fear of repercussions linked to what has been titled the "survivors" edition.
The edition will hit the stands on Wednesday, a week after terrorists stormed the magazine's Paris office and shot dead four of its editorial team. "I am nervous. I'm shaking now, I'm only a little village shop but I don't care because what I am doing is right," she added.
The mother of two said she has ordered more than 100 copies of the magazine which is expected to hit UK shops by Friday.
"I think I'm the first one to do it. I might be old fashioned but I'm not going to be scared. I'm selling it as a one off. I have 80 orders so far and it is getting out of hand as people across the UK are calling and asking from them." She was prompted to order the edition following a request from a customer and now has 40 reservations and has been receiving calls from across the country.
A few other UK stores are also expected to sell the edition despite radical cleric Anjem Choudary describing it as "an act of war" and warning of "retaliations" in the country.
The "survivors" edition is to be officially released on January 14 and will see 3 million copies sent to newsagents across France and the rest of the world.
Image: Ila Aghera runs Forge News in Charlton Kings area of Cheltenham. Photograph: Ila Aghera/Facebook