The France-Presse Agency “is committed to defending the job of the job of journalist on the ground and will file a complaint on Monday,” said CEO, Fabrice Fries. The company that employs the two agents will also complain.
Le Monde with AFP
The France-Presse Agency (AFP) will complain to the Prosecutor of the Republic on behalf of the two journalists assaulted for “voluntary violence in meeting” and “death threats”, and on his behalf for “hindrance to freedom “. This is announced by the President and CEO of the Agency, Fabrice Fries, Sunday, January 16, in the aftermath of the aggression of one of his teams during a rally against the vaccinal pass which took place in Paris.
AFP “is determined to defend the exercise of the job of journalist on the ground and will file a complaint on Monday,” said Mr. Fries, before adding:
“AFP denounces the trivialization of aggression, verbal and now physical, against its teams and worries about the new degree of violence reached.”
Two Journalists Image Reporters (JRI) of the Agency as well as two close protection officers who accompanied them were violently taken to party while covering the anti-vaccination gathering organized in Paris by the patriots, The movement of the Frexit supporter candidate to the Florian Philippot presidential election.
At the call of an advertised individual with a megaphone, at least about fifty people, identified as extreme right by the journalists, tried to attack the videographer of AFP. The protective agents interbosed, allowing the two JRIs to flee. The security agents were then struck, with a lot of baton in particular, while they protected the journalist, caught up with about twenty protesters. They were then threatened with death and one of the security agents received a bottle on the head, opening the scalp. The company that employs the two agents will also file a complaint on its side.
“The aggression of a team of AFP and the threats of death against him testify to a disturbing degree of violence. Those who perpetrated them must be prosecuted and convicted. Justice must demonstrate its ability to sanction with firmness the authors of such acts, “ Reacted on Twitter Christophe DeLoire , Secretary General of Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
This is the second aggression that is the target an AFP team covering protests against the pass … https://t.co/ag0kuyzdqs “/p>- AFPFR (@agence france-press)
This is the second aggression that is the target an AFP team covering manifestations against the sanitary pass. In July 2021, two JRI had wiped spat and insults during a demonstration organized by Mr. Philippot.