Thousands protest at magazine's 'rock star image' of man accused of planting bombs at the Boston marathon

This article is more than 7 years old

This article is more than 7 years old

Rolling Stone's latest cover has ignited an online storm, according to reports in several US media outlets, such as ABC News and the Boston Herald and USA Today.

The outrage was prompted by a front page that is dominated by a picture of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the men alleged to be responsible for planting the bombs during the Boston marathon in April that killed three people and injured 260 others.

The cover line, ignoring the fact that he is innocent until proven guilty, says: "The bomber – how a popular, promising student was failed by his family, fell into radical Islam and became a monster."

(I somehow feel this would fail to pass muster even with the most junior newspaper lawyer on a British paper).

Anyway, the Twittersphere went mad, with tweeters claiming it glamorises and/or glorifies the 19-year-old suspect, not least because he appears in a place coveted by rock stars and assorted celebrities. And Rolling Stone's Facebook page was inundated with thousands of critical comments too.

Tsarnaev, with his halo of shaggy hair, was likened by some to Bob Dylan and by others to Jim Morrison of The Doors. Some merely think he looks like an indie rock star. Among the comments, one wrote:

"I am so disappointed with Rolling Stone magazine… You have just made him a rock star. How could you?"

Another asked: "Is this for real? Why don't the VICTIMS get the cover instead?" In similar vein, a third wrote: "Jeff Bauman, who lost both legs, should be on cover."

Boston itself took it badly: "What a punch to the gut of every Bostonian," wrote a commenter. "Absolutely unbelievable." Another of the city's residents commented:

"As a longtime resident of Boston, and someone who worked for years in both the music business and for one of the two major newspapers here, I have to ask you, what is wrong with your editor?! Why on earth would you put this scumbag on the cover?"

Rolling Stone's online preview of the article about Tsarnaev includes five so-called "revelations" uncovered by the writer, Janet Reitman.

One of these claims that Tsarnaev's mother pushed her sons towards Islam. Tsarnaev's brother, Tamerlan, died in the shootout with police following the bombing.

Tsarnaev pleaded not guilty last week to 30 counts associated with the bombing. Seventeen of the charges carry the death penalty. Prosecutors have yet to say whether they will seek capital punishment.