- The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the assault on journalist Andy Ngo “unacceptable.”
- CPJ has documented and commented on multiple past cases of assaults and freedom of the press violations involving the Trump administration and Trump supporters.
- “CPJ has taken a special interest in how journalists are treated at protests,” a spokeswoman told the DCNF.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the attack of Andy Ngo at an Antifa rally Saturday was “unacceptable,” but it hasnt yet issued a written statement condemning the attack.
CPJ is a non-profit organization that promotes freedom of the press and aims to defend journalists rights. It has not published a written statement on its website about the attack on Ngo Saturday by masked men that resulted in an alleged brain bleed. CPJ told the DCNF it is still working with the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker to document the case as of Monday.
“CPJ has taken a special interest in how journalists are treated at protests,” Alexandra Ellerbeck, CPJ North America program coordinator, told the DCNF. “Through the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker—a joint collaboration with Freedom of the Press Foundation—weve covered more than 97 cases of journalists being physically assaulted, at least 48 of which happened in the context of protests.”
CPJ has previously documented a case where Ngo was sprayed with bear repellent and assaulted in May of 2019. The article gave information about the assault, but did not condemn the physical violence against Ngo, who “identifies as an independent journalist and photographer.” (RELATED: Andrew Yang Expresses Support For Journalist Attacked At Antifa Rally)
Ngo is currently an editor at Quillette.
“The Tracker is reaching out to Ngo and is documenting Saturdays case,” Ellerbeck told the DCNF. “Journalists should not have to fear physical violence when covering public demonstrations, and what happened to Andy Ngo is unacceptable.”
Andy Ngo, a Portland-based journalist, is seen covered in unknown substance after unidentified Rose City Antifa members attacked him on June 29, 2019 in Portland, Oregon. (Moriah Ratner/Getty Images)
BBC cameraman Ron Skeans was assaulted while covering one of President Donald Trumps rallies in Texas in February 2019. CPJ issued a statement within 24 hours of the attack stating it was “concerned about journalists safety at Trumps rallies.”
“Its outrageous that a journalist was attacked while covering a presidential speech,” said Ellerbeck, according to the statement. “We call on President Trump to moderate his rhetoric against the press and to state clearly that physically attacking media personnel is not acceptable.”
This article also commented on a previous attack of a journalist at another Trump rally. The article cited the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, CPJs partner, stating that Trump had “spoken fondly of a physical attack on a journalist during a rally in Montana.”
CPJ also condemned the White House for suspending Jim Acostas, CNNs chief White House correspondent, credentials. This statement came within a day of the suspension. (RELATED: Acosta Issues Warning To Conservative Media)
“In the current climate, we hope President Trump will stop insulting and denigrating reporters and media outlets, its making journalists feel unsafe,” said Courtney Radsch, CPJs advocacy director.
U.S. President Donald Trump gets into an exchange with Jim Acosta of CNN after giving remarks a day after the midterm elections on November 7, 2018 (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
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