Twitter reaction to City Press’ removal of ‘The Spear’ mixed

The decision by South African national newspaper City Press to remove images of ‘The Spear’ painting from its website has been met with mixed reaction on Twitter.

Editor-in-chief Ferial Haffajee said she made the decision to remove the image after some of her journalists received death threats.

The announcement came barely a day after Haffajee said that she would not remove The Spear from her paper’s website.

Some Twitter users felt that she had done the right thing:

Huge respect for my colleague Ferrial Haffajee -The Spear is down – out of care and fear: bit.ly/KW0BgC via @City_Press

— Karen Allen (@BBCKarenAllen) May 28, 2012

@ferialhaffajee on taking the Spear down – n24.cm/MUIPIP via @City_Press. My respect for her has just grown immeasurably.

— Marietjie Groenewald (@MieksG) May 28, 2012

Ferial Haffajee is my new hero : The Spear is down – out of care and fear: n24.cm/MUHGRu via @City_Press

— Naseema Elias (@nas_elias) May 28, 2012

@ferialhaffajee I just read your letter on @news24: succinct and sincere! Truly impressed and behind @City_Press 100%

— Leeanne Jonsson (@LeeanneGJonsson) May 28, 2012

#ZumaSpear Makhura: If you ask me, City Press taking it down is a sensitive response, a positive response. But it’s up to Nat leadership. SG

— Stephen Grootes (@StephenGrootes) May 28, 2012

Others felt that those who had bought the newspaper on Sunday to express their support for freedom of expression had been betrayed:

So how do all you palukas who bought the City Press yesterday to support freedom of speech feel today? Used would be my guess.

— David G Bullard (@lunchout2) May 28, 2012

Sorry guys, there’s no way to put a silver lining on it.City Press folded like a cheap deck chair.

— Henry Martin (@_MartinHenry) May 28, 2012

@City_Press @afuze I don’t think ‘The People’ have spoken. Instead, govt spoke in a very loud voice. This is not a victory for the people.

— Vanessa (@mysehnsucht) May 28, 2012

@City_Press can I have my money back for the copies I bought yesterday please?

— Hein Koen (@heinkoen) May 28, 2012

The painting, by artist Brett Murray, has been at the centre of news in the country for over a week now. At one stage South African president Jacob Zuma went to court in an attempt to have the painting removed from the Goodman Gallery in Johannesburg where it was being exhibited.

Last week, two individuals set social media alight when they defaced the painting, damaging it irreparably.