United States: CFWIJ condemns escalating hate speech and violence against journalists

/
BeRvU8hZ.jpeg

July 17, 2021, Los Angeles – The Guardian reporter Lois Beckett was assaulted by protesters while covering an anti-transgender rally outside a spa in Los Angeles. The journalist posted a video of the attackers against her on social media. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) condemns the vicious attack against Lois. We demand the U.S. authorities identify and appeal necessary criminal sanctions to the attackers. Journalists must do their jobs freely and safely.

Lois Beckett was attacked while covering an anti-transgender rally outside a spa in Los Angeles. Lois said she tried to interview conservative women protesting at Wi Spa, where there have been weeks of violent protests after a woman claimed the spa had allowed a trans woman to reveal herself to children. The journalist filmed protesters throwing her to the ground, pouring water, and shouting to seize her phone. She said she escaped the police line.

The journalist shared the moments on her Twitter account. She posted the video she filmed of the assault and wrote, “Just got thrown to the ground by right-wing anti-paedophile protesters as a crowd converged on me and chased me. They threw water at me and screamed about Jesus and said to grab my phone. Police would not let me through the police line but after I got thrown on the ground they did.”

She also reported her situation after the incident saying that she is safe and okay. “I’m doing okay — if I had been left alone to run from the right-wing crowd in the street, rather than let through the police line, not sure that would be the case,” she quoted. “I am okay and frustrated that I could not do my job today and simply interview people about why they are demonstrating in the middle of downtown Los Angeles without being violently targeted and chased away,” she added. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is utterly dismayed by the vicious attack against Lois. We demand the U.S. authorities conduct a swift investigation into the unfortunate event and appeal necessary criminal sanctions to the attackers.