November 17, 2020, Washington – CBS reporter Christina Ruffini and her team were hassled during the BLM protests on November 4, 2020, in Washington, D.C. The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns these outrageous provocations and calls on the authorities to ensure the safety of journalists.
Christina shared footage of the incident on her Twitter account, which she described as "a little fuss with protesters outside #blmplaza" referring to Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington D.C.

In the video, a person dressed in all-black loose clothing, with a face-covering to hide their identity, was seen approaching the camera crew with hands raised. The individual proceeded to interfere by blocking the camera lens, despite a voice insisting “Don’t touch it, don’t touch it!”. Following this warning, Christina intervened and separated the individual from the camera equipment. 

Even after the camera operator retreated, the protesters continued to engage with the journalist. In the midst of this altercation, Christina dropped her phone. When she tried to pick it up, the individual once again interfered, waving their arms in her way.  The journalist eventually retrieved her phone, though it was unclear whether it was damaged. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns this attack against Christina Ruffini and demands the authorities to identify and investigate the aggressors. During the BLM protests across the USA, journalists have been harassed and prevented from doing their jobs by both security forces and protesters. We are watching these attacks with great concern.