(RSF/IFEX) – On the evening of 10 April 2004, a crowd of anti-government demonstrators injured 14 journalists outside the presidential palace in Taipei. During the demonstration, protesters gradually became increasingly hostile towards television crews and press photographers who were present, and several journalists were assaulted. The situation deteriorated after protesters began to attack barricades that […]
(RSF/IFEX) – On the evening of 10 April 2004, a crowd of anti-government demonstrators injured 14 journalists outside the presidential palace in Taipei. During the demonstration, protesters gradually became increasingly hostile towards television crews and press photographers who were present, and several journalists were assaulted.
The situation deteriorated after protesters began to attack barricades that had been set up around the palace. Some demonstrators became concerned that the government could use press photographs and video footage to identify and prosecute them. A few minutes later, several protesters chased and attacked photographers and television crews.
Those injured included Huang Hsin-hao, a cameraman with the local television station Era News, who needed 20 stitches after being attacked by about 10 demonstrators. He is still in hospital.
RSF expressed shock over the level of violence against the news media and the fact that demonstrators identified the media with the government.
Wu Yu-shen, a city of Taipei spokesperson, urged citizens to respect the media. “The journalists were located between the crowd and police lines in order to give the public objective information. Do not hit journalists. They deserve respect from the public and the government,” he said.
