NEW YORK (AP) -- Some 200 pickets chanting ``Boycott the Post! Shut it down!'' marched in front of the New York Post on Thursday to protest a cartoon that critics say links President Obama to the chimpanzee that was shot dead by police in Connecticut.
The drawing by longtime Post cartoonist Sean Delonas shows a dead chimp and two police officers, one with a smoking gun. The caption reads, ``They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.''
The cartoon appeared in Wednesday's Post and refers to Travis the chimp, who was shot to death by police on Monday after it mauled a friend of its owner.
Obama signed his administration's economic stimulus plan on Tuesday.
Protesters said the cartoon echoed racist stereotypes of blacks as monkeys and even suggested that Obama should be shot.
``Since when can you call for the killing of the president of the United States?'' demanded City Councilman Charles Barron.
The newspaper has stood by the work, which its editor called ``a clear parody'' about the killing of the chimp. The Post said it had no further comment on Thursday.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, who led the protest along with Barron and other elected officials and ministers, said there would be another protest in front of the Post's midtown offices on Friday.
The Post was deluged with angry calls for a second day Thursday as marchers carried signs that said ``Jail Billionaire N.Y. Post Owner Rupert Murdoch,'' a reference to the media mogul who owns the Post, the Fox network and The Wall Street Journal.
Protester Tony Murphy's hand-lettered sign said ``Cartoonists Against Racism.''
``It's an abuse of the form,'' said Murphy, whose syndicated cartoon is called ``It's All About You.'' ``We can't afford this kind of racism while we're fighting layoffs and cutbacks of all kinds.''
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The cartoon appeared in Wednesday's Post and refers to Travis the chimp, who was shot to death by police on Monday after it mauled a friend of its owner.
