(RSF/IFEX) – RSF condemns the 26 November 2005 attack on a Chilevisión television crew, that had gone to a private party in Santiago hoping to film a celebrity participant. The reporters were beaten by some of the guests outside the house. “It is very important that those responsible for this gratuitous and violent attack should […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF condemns the 26 November 2005 attack on a Chilevisión television crew, that had gone to a private party in Santiago hoping to film a celebrity participant. The reporters were beaten by some of the guests outside the house.
“It is very important that those responsible for this gratuitous and violent attack should be punished in order to show that they are not ‘untouchable,’ as they claimed,” the press freedom organisation said.
“In view of the death threats against these journalists and the violence used against them, we call on the authorities to take whatever measures are necessary to protect Chilevisión’s staff,” Reporters Without Borders added.
The three-member crew, consisting of reporter Helen Ahumada, camera operator Diego Parraguirre and driver Edmundo Espinoza, had gone to a house where a birthday party was being held for Giovanni Ananás, a former boyfriend of Chilean top model Quenita Larrain. The crew was hoping to film Larrain.
Parraguirre said a man called Vincent came out of the house and asked them to leave. When they refused, he insulted them and threatened them, saying: “If you don’t leave, I will kill you, I will put a bullet in you and nothing will happen to me because I am untouchable. I am more influential than Pinochet and I will vomit on your lousy television station.”
Two vehicles then blocked the street where the television crew was located. Two men got out of the vehicles and together with Vincent began to beat up the crew members. The crew finally managed to get into its car and started to drive away. At this point, Vincent threw a large stone that smashed the rear window of the crew’s car and hit Parraguirre in the arm.
Parraguirre received a cut on his eyebrow that required three stitches, while Ahumada sustained bruising to a hip and both legs. The journalists have filed a complaint.
