"I am Charlie" — the slogan of solidarity with the murdered editor, cartoonists and journalists of Charlie Hebdo, the French satirical weekly — caught fire on social media and in spontaneous demonstrations that spread throughout Europe. Sadly it is too late for the dead journalists, and later than you think for press freedoms that have been badly eroded worldwide.
The hope must be that the assassinations may waken political and media leaders to understand what is at stake.
French President Francois Hollande went rapidly to the scene to condemn the murders as an attack on the values of France. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron stood shoulder-to-shoulder offering support to Hollande.