The Amatrice town council on Monday filed a petition against Charlie Hebdo with prosecutors in Rieti for alleged aggravated defamation over the French satirical magazine's controversial cartoon showing the victims of the central Italian earthquake that killed 295 people last month as pasta dishes. Most of the victims of the quake were in Amatrice, the birthplace of the world-famous amatriciana pasta sauce. The drawing titled 'Earthquake, Italian-style' depicted bloodied victims buried under layers of pasta. "Approximately 300 dead in an earthquake in Italy," the cartoon said. "It is still unknown whether it shouted Allahu Akbar (God is Great in Arabic)".
The cartoon prompted widespread outrage. "I respect freedom of satire and irony but I can also say I have the freedom to say that (the Charlie Hebdo quake cartoon) stinks," said Senate Speaker Pietro Grasso.
The French embassy in Rome issued a statement distancing Paris from the cartoon.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
