France: La Provence Journalist Assaulted During Demonstration at Port in Marseille
Reporter assaulted and phone taken by a port employee
Location: France, Marseille
Date: May 16, 2024
Women Press Freedom condemns the attack on an unnamed journalist from La Provence during a demonstration at the Grand Port Maritime of Marseille. This confrontation — during which her phone was seized, and she was threatened with destroying it if she did not delete the footage — is a blatant attempt to censor and intimidate the journalist, undermining her right to document and report on public matters. We urge local authorities in Marseille to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident and to take necessary measures to safeguard journalists. Journalists must be able to perform their duties without fear of violence or intimidation. We also call on the management of the Grand Port Maritime of Marseille to address the actions of their employees and reaffirm their commitment to press freedom.
On May 16, 2024, local residents' demonstration against disturbances caused by construction at the Grand Port Maritime of Marseille and a counter-mobilization led by port employees and members of the CGT (a major French trade union) escalated into violence.
A journalist from the regional newspaper La Provence was physically assaulted by a port employee while covering the event. The employee, partially concealing his face, aggressively confronted the journalist and forcibly took her mobile phone.
He threatened the journalist, saying, "I will break your phone, you delete this or I'll blow it up," and continued to intimidate her with, "I will do what I want with your phone, I will keep it if I want to. What are you going to do?"
Police intervened swiftly and retrieved the journalist's phone, preserving all photos and videos taken during the demonstration.
La Provence's management denounced the attack on its journalist and is considering filing a formal complaint about it.
Women Press Freedom unequivocally condemns this violent assault on a La Provence journalist.
We call on the authorities in Marseille to conduct a swift and thorough investigation and hold the perpetrator accountable. We urge the management of the Grand Port Maritime of Marseille to address this issue transparently and enforce strict measures to prevent any recurrence.
Women Press Freedom is an initiative by The Coalition For Women In Journalism
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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