A broadcast team of French journalists came under attack on the sidelines of the protest in the city of Lyon as national unrest continues with demonstrations in dozens of cities on Saturday.
Youths in masks and hoodies rushed and attacked a BFMTV news crew in Lyon on Saturday during the fifth straight week of national protests supposedly over the cost of living and educational funding.
Riot police were forced to intervene and save the journalists from thee mob violence, fortunately preventing any significant injuries, with the Rhône Prefecture saying that the group was “very violent, with an intent to lynch”.
A nearby freelance journalist told the AFP: “It was very, very intense. One of them was hit several times. His camera was thrown to the ground, broken, and then they picked it up and stole it. He was in shock.
“I had to remove my press badge myself, otherwise I would have been lynched too,” he added.
In a statement, the broadcaster told the AFP: “BFMTV management strongly condemns these physical attacks and accusations against its teams ,” the channel told AFP.
“These behaviours are unacceptable, endangering journalists in the exercise of their profession,” she added.
The head of the local prefecture, Etienne Guyot condemned “in the strongest possible terms the attacks on journalists during today’s demonstration.
“Press freedom and the right to report are fundamental pillars of our democracy. Attacking media professionals as they carry out their work is unacceptable,” he said.
According to local newspaper Le Progress, between 8,000 and 15,000 people took part in demonstration across Lyon on Saturday. So far, police have only announced four arrest. However, it is unclear if these included those who attacked the television news crew.
The protest was also shut down early, with the Prefecture saying: “Very quickly, a group of hostile individuals, at least some of whom claim allegiance to the far left, positioned themselves at the front of the march, directly attacking law enforcement officers by throwing numerous projectiles, setting fire to barricades and vandalising street furniture.”
The federal Ministry of Interior, some 106,000 people took to the streets throughout France on Saturday, including 24,000 in Paris. Meanwhile, some 219 people were arrested and 10 police officers injured as of 6pm local time.
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