An Australian news camera crew who were covering the George Floyd riots in Washington DC were attacked by US Police and physically assaulted by being punched.
This is the third known incident to have happened by US Police over the last few days, the cameraman was also shot with a rubber bullet, despite being told they were press.
US correspondent Amelia Brace and cameraman Tim Myers, who are Australian journalists from Channel 7 News were outside the White House reporting.
Footage shows a US police officer brutally punching Mr Myers and pushing him with a shield, and another officer swung at the two journalists with a baton, whilst live on-air.
Brace told Channel 7 programme Sunrise, “I managed to get a rubber bullet to the backside and Tim got one in the back of the neck.
“There was no escape at that moment. We had the National Guard behind us and police coming through so quickly.
“You heard us yelling there that we were media, but they don’t care.”
Watch the shocking moment #7NEWS reporter @AmeliaBrace and our cameraman were knocked over by a police officer LIVE on air after chaos erupted in Washington DC. pic.twitter.com/R8KJLnfxPN
— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) June 1, 2020
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said, the Federal Government are treating this incident as a “very serious matter.”
“I want to get further advice on how we would go about registering Australia’s strong concerns with the responsible local authorities in Washington,” Senator Payne told RN Drive.
“So, our Embassy in the United States will approach the relevant authorities, and Channel 7 will also provide us with their views on how they wish to deal with it.”
Police outside the WH just repeatedly bashed a cameraman as they pushed back protestors – just now on @ABC7News pic.twitter.com/XyE2sI6I3v
— Ben Siegel (@benyc) June 1, 2020
The Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ordered his embassy in the US to investigate the attack of the news crew.
The US Press Freedom Tracker, has confirmed they have verified more than 100 incidents involving journalists, including 60 assaults and 20 arrests.
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