(IPYS/IFEX) – On 18 December 2006, TV Récord television station cameraman Marcelo Assunção and his assistant Fábio Souza were threatened, assaulted and arrested by members of the Metropolitan Civilian Guard Mediation Troop (Tropa de Mediación de la Guardia Civil Metropolitana, GCM), while they were covering a student demonstration near the mayor’s office in São Paulo. […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 18 December 2006, TV Récord television station cameraman Marcelo Assunção and his assistant Fábio Souza were threatened, assaulted and arrested by members of the Metropolitan Civilian Guard Mediation Troop (Tropa de Mediación de la Guardia Civil Metropolitana, GCM), while they were covering a student demonstration near the mayor’s office in São Paulo. The journalists were prevented from filming.
Five GCM members surrounded Assunção and threatened to confiscate his video equipment if he continued taping. Assunção paid no heed to the threat and was then struck several times on the back. The GCM members then arrested both journalists for alleged “contempt for authority”, and seized their videotape. The reporters were handcuffed and taken to the police station.
Police Chief (Delegado) Mauro José Arthur registered Assunção’s statement, requested that the journalist be physically examined, and said that he would open an investigation into the incident. The journalists were then released.
This alert was prepared by IPYS with information provided by the Brazilian Investigative Journalism Association (Associação Brasileira de Jornalismo Investigativo, ABRAJI).