United States: CFWIJ condemns the brutal attack against journalist Erin Schaff at Capitol Hill

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January 7, 2021- Photojournalist Erin Schaff for The New York Times was assaulted by Trump supporters during the insurrection at Capitol Hill. Schaff was capturing images during the US riots when security was breached at the building. She was surrounded by a group of men who pushed her to the floor and snatched her press credentials. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is utterly dismayed by the brutal attack against Erin. We stand in solidarity with the journalist and appreciate her fearless and continuous work despite the attacks she faced. 

Erin was taking pictures while a mob storm took in Capitol Hill. Thereafter she was assaulted by a group of rioters. According to what the photojournalist told, she was looking for a place to hide when Capitol Police found her and pointed guns at her. Police officials ordered her to get on the ground. Schaff had no press credential at that moment and could not prove her identity. Luckily, two other photojournalists appeared at the scene, spotted and intervened the security forces. The police officers protected the journalists afterwards. 

Erin said that she was standing below the press balcony. From there she saw how events took a sudden turn of events and she had just 10 seconds to decide whether to run out or stay in, and she stayed in.

She texted her editor that the senate is being locked down. She suddenly realised that someone from her fellow peers asked where they should go, and then an officer pointed them towards basements. The journalist grabbed her laptop and went down three floors with other fellow reporters. However, it was not at all completely safe and things turned frightening.

Erin Schaff also added that she clearly heard protesters on the first floor of the Senate side of the Capitol. She came downstairs following the noise. She was in utter shock to see that the rioters could make it in. When Erin looked down the hall and noticed that it was indeed an angry mob of Trump supporters who were running around, chanting slogans and wrecking the whole place. She was able to capture a few images and then went down the floor, where a single police officer was guarding the door against a mob of hundreds of protestors.

The journalist said she heard the noise of people banging in. She found herself surrounded by two or three men dressed in black who wanted to know who she worked for. She said, "They threw me to the floor, trying to take my cameras. I started screaming for help as loudly as I could. No one came. People just watched. At this point, I thought I could be killed and no one would stop them.” “They ripped one of my cameras away from me, broke a lens on the other and ran away.” she added. “But then the police found me. I told them that I was a photojournalist and that my pass had been stolen, but they didn't believe me. They drew their guns, pointed them and yelled at me to get down on my hands and knees.” she followed. “As I lay on the ground, two other photojournalists came into the hall and started shouting "She's a journalist!"

Emily Cochern who is a fellow colleague of Erin shared the details of the incident on her Twitter account and said that the journalist is such a pro as she was able to file images even after what she suffered at Capitol Hill.

Also Mike Baker, a colleague of Erin in NYT explained the scene of the mob storm inside the Capitol. He appreciated Erin fpr how she managed to capture from the day is incredible and historic. 

Such violent attacks against free press are methods to intimidate journalists from doing their job. These unfortunate incidents should be a wake-up call for authorities to make sure the journalist’s safety. The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands in solidarity with all these dedicated and brave journalists.