Book with image claimed by racists pulled from distribution

BOSTON — An artist who created a cartoon frog that was appropriated by white racists has forced a Texas man to quit distributing a children’s book based on the character.

Attorneys for artist Matt Furie say he enforced his copyright of Pepe the Frog and forced former Texas educator Eric Hauser to quit distributing his self-published book, “The Adventures of Pepe and Pede.”

A statement released Monday by Furie’s Boston-based lawyers, Louis Tompros and Don Steinberg, says Hauser’s book was hateful, racist and Islamophobic.

Hauser’s lawyer declined comment.