Coverage of Sunday’s (8/1) uprising in Brasilia was equivalent to coverage of a war zone for the press there. Dispute notes from the Union of Professional Journalists of the Federal District and the National Federation of Journalists revealed that the professionals were at risk of their lives, were physically attacked, held at gunpoint, and had their equipment stolen by sympathetic criminals with Jair Bolsonaro.
“The Union of Professional Journalists of the Federal District and the National Federation of Journalists express their deepest repudiation of the coup d’état and terrorist acts that took place this Sunday at the Esplanada dos Ministérios and of the violence against professionals of the press, prevented from carrying out their work safely At the same time, the Union and Fenaj show solidarity with colleagues who have been injured in the exercise of their profession”, the institutions say in a statement.
Among the victims are women and representatives of the US press. A New Yorker magazine reporter was surrounded by the mob and attacked, having to be rescued by legislative security. Another, from the Washington Post, was run over, kicked and had his hair pulled out.
“Me and fellow journalists were attacked while we were working to cover terrorist acts in Brasilia,” Mariana Dias vented on Twitter. “I was surrounded, kicked, pushed, insulted. They broke my glasses, pulled my hair, tried to take my cell phone. These people must be punished. This is a crime.”
A photojournalist from Metrópoles was not only attacked by about 10 men, but her belongings were also stolen.
“They gathered around me screaming and swearing. I tried to get out of there, but they punched me in the stomach and grabbed my equipment while kicking me,” the photojournalist explained, without releasing her first name.
Photo reporters from Folha and the international agencies Reuters and France Press also reported having stolen equipment, documents and mobile phones. In the case of a Band reporter, her cell phone was broken.
In a more serious account, a reporter for the O Tempo newspaper said he was held at gunpoint as he was attacked by one group after another.
“They put a gun to my waist, saying I was going to die. Another one appeared with another gun, resting on my back. And they kept slapping me across the face, cursing,” he told the paper, without being identified by name. .
“They made videos of my face. They started sharing them in groups of Bolsonarists. They asked to ‘verify’. They wanted to know who I was, my name and, above all, my profession. After not finding anything that ‘incriminates’ me , they told me to leave. ‘Get out, get out of here!’ I left in a “Polish corridor”, based on punches, kicks and slaps, “she continued.
“When I got to the congressional ramp, other terrorists stopped me, held me. ‘Are you the PT, the infiltrator?1, they said, repeatedly. They asked me for documents, searched my backpack. Ramp, another group did the same. Then, I saw a group of military police near the Itamaraty Palace, next to three vehicles. I decided to walk. Not run. I could still hear the shouts of ‘infiltrator’, ‘PT’s’. Two or three they followed me”.
“When I got to the police, I asked for help, help. I told them what had happened to me. I showed my documents. I asked if I could stay in the box they had set up, until a professional colleague from any other means, which could help me, help arrived. The agents said no. They answered that they could not do anything for me”.
He concludes by saying that he was rescued by a technician from EBC (the state communications company), who had gone to the Praça dos Três Poderes out of curiosity to see what was happening, and took him to his car to get him out of there.
+The best content in your email for free. Choose your favorite Terra newsletter. Click here!
Source: Terra
Jason Root is a writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth coverage of famous people in entertainment, sports, and politics. He has a passion for uncovering the stories behind the headlines and bringing readers an inside look at the lives of the famous. He has been writing for Gossipify for several years and has a degree in Journalism from UC Berkeley.
