Controversy surrounds Washington Post's removal of anti-Hamas cartoon

The Washington Post is facing conservative criticism for removing an anti-Hamas political cartoon titled "Human shields" by Michael Ramirez. The cartoon depicted a Hamas spokesperson using civilians as human shields. Some staffers expressed "deep concerns" about the panel, leading to its deletion and an apology from the Post. Conservative commentators online criticized the decision, arguing that it censored speech and failed to stand by the cartoon's message. The New York Post Editorial Board also criticized the apology, stating that it encourages censorship and goes against the Post's slogan of "Democracy dies in darkness." The opinions editor of the Post explained that the cartoon was seen as racist by many readers, leading to its removal.