Two days after the attack on an AFP team during an anti-vaccination pass rally in Paris, Christophe Deloire, head of the NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF), denounces the “rise in hostility violence against journalists” in France, which he considers “extremely worrying”.
Question : Has hostility towards journalists increased in France in recent years?
Responnse : There is clearly a rise in hostility, and even violent hostility, against journalists, which is accelerating in France and in other countries of the world.
This violence began in meetings extreme right, especially those of the National Front. It continued in demonstrations, such as those of the yellow vests, where one of the worst events was an attempted lynching of a team from (the continuous news channel) LCI.
This is not unique to France: in Germany, there has been violence by members of the xenophobic and anti-Muslim movement Pegida, in the United States with supporters of Donald Trump.
It is a hatred of the media that goes beyond the phenomenon of mistrust and the absence of trust.
With social networks, which participate in the confinement of everyone in bubbles of belief and conviction, part of the population does not support the image that is reflected of itself or the simple fact that we refer an image of itself.
What is particularly worrying with the aggression of the AFP team is that it is precisely an agency which gives everyone a voice, which does not participate in the polarization, which is attacked.
Q : What can politicians do?
R : Politicians whose activists commit such acts must assume their responsibilities: hold their troops and, if they do not succeed, dissociate themselves from those who commit such acts. We cannot pretend to play the democratic game and let journalists be beaten.
We are in a period where the political debate very often turns into a fight. By dint of verbal violence, some weak minds end up no longer distinguishing it from physical violence.
The protection of journalists is also a matter of public safety: those who perpetuate these acts must be prosecuted and convicted, and these convictions must be made clearly known to the public.
Q : What can be the reaction of the editorial staff?
R : The newsrooms have made a very big effort in terms of training, setting up procedures, security plans, materials, by allocating financial resources.
We have to manage to stimulate the reaction of other demonstrators or activists so that there are “antibodies” in the crowds, which make it possible to restrict the capacity for action of the madmen who want to hit the journalists.
I am not sure that there should be a general rule for newsrooms on their protective measures. On the other hand, what journalists can do is show themselves that one can debate without fighting and set an example of tolerance, whatever the editorial line of their media.