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[h1]Rev. Al Sharpton, black leaders planning boycott of New York Post over cartoon; protest draws scores[/h1]
By Christina Boyle and Larry Mcshane
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Updated Thursday, February 19th 2009, 1:33 PM
Roca/News
Eric Adams and other community leaders protest Wednesday over a controversial cartoon (below) that appeared in the New York Post.
AP
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The Rev. Al Sharpton called Thursday for a citywide boycott of the New York Post over an offensive cartoon that critics believe compared President Obama to a bullet-riddled chimpanzee.
Sharpton spoke before scores of angry protesters outside the beleaguered tabloid's midtown headquarters.
"Shut down the Post! Shut down the Post!" the racially-mixed crowd of more than 200 shouted at a noon rally.
Sharpton was joined by City Council member Charles Barron and Assemblywoman Inez Barron as he condemned the Post for refusing to deal with the situation after the cartoon appeared Wednesday.
"I guess they thought we were chimpanzees," Sharpton said. "They will find out we are lions."
Sharpton announced plans for a Friday protest with film director Spike Lee. Demonstrators plan to dump copies of the paper outside the News Corp. Building., where the Post is based.
Protesters demanded an apology, the firing of cartoonist Sean Delonas and the dismissal of any editors who signed off on the cartoon.
A Post spokeswoman did not return a call for comment about the situation.
The cartoon, by Post regular Delonas, prompted immediate outrage. It showed the bullet-riddled body of a chimp, shot by two cops.
"They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill," one of the cops said.
While the Post insisted the cartoon was meant to mock "Washington's efforts to revive the economy," other took a more sinister view.
Many complained the cartoon played off the long-standing racist comparison of blacks with monkeys, while others believed it suggested Obama's assassination.
"To compare the nation's first African-American commander-in-chief to a dead chimpanzee is nothing short of racist drivel," said Barbara Ciara, president of the National Association of Black Journalists.
Still more were outraged that the cartoon was tasteless, making fun of the Connecticut tragedy where a runaway chimp disfigured and nearly killed a woman.
Internet bloggers were quick to attack the Post, and the paper's switchboard was lit up with angry callers Wednesday.
A picket line went up outside the paper's Sixth Avenue offices as anti-Post sentiment grew, with the picketers planning a return today.
Even those who declined to comment took their shots at the Post - like White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.
"I have not seen the cartoon," he told reporters aboard Air Force One. "But I don't think it's altogether newsworthy reading the New York Post."
Surprised this hasn't made its way to NT yet.
Cliff notes:
- NY Post published the cartoon below.
- People are angry.
- Justifiably so?
- Or overly sensitive?
-Discuss.
