2002-05-14 | (PERIODISTAS/IFEX)
Between 27 and 30 April 2002, about 10 journalists were threatened or attacked while covering demonstrations taking place in Argentina’s interior.
In San Juan province, radio journalists and photojournalists were caught in the middle of police repression against demonstrating government employees. In some cases, the police directly targeted the press.
The two most serious incidents involved cameraman Carlos Chirino and the FM Radio La Voz radio station mobile unit, which was set up close to the Provincial Legislature building. Chirino, a cameraman for Canal 8 TV, was shot in the leg with a rubber bullet and trampled by police officers.
Jorge Olivero, a radio producer for FM Radio La Voz, told PERIODISTAS that a tear gas canister exploded near the station's mobile unit, which was clearly marked with the station's name and logo.
Shortly afterwards, as Olivero recounted, another tear gas canister was fired by a police officer at the vehicle and came flying through one of the windows, passing just centimetres from driver Juan Martín's face. One of the seats caught on fire from the sparks and the flames were put out with the assistance of a neighbour who lent the news crew a fire extinguisher.
Between 27 and 30 April 2002, about 10 journalists were threatened or attacked while covering demonstrations taking place in Argentina’s interior.
In San Juan province, radio journalists and photojournalists were caught in the middle of police repression against demonstrating government employees. In some cases, the police directly targeted the press.
The two most serious incidents involved cameraman Carlos Chirino and the FM Radio La Voz radio station mobile unit, which was set up close to the Provincial Legislature building. Chirino, a cameraman for Canal 8 TV, was shot in the leg with a rubber bullet and trampled by police officers.
Jorge Olivero, a radio producer for FM Radio La Voz, told PERIODISTAS that a tear gas canister exploded near the station's mobile unit, which was clearly marked with the station's name and logo.
Shortly afterwards, as Olivero recounted, another tear gas canister was fired by a police officer at the vehicle and came flying through one of the windows, passing just centimetres from driver Juan Martín's face. One of the seats caught on fire from the sparks and the flames were put out with the assistance of a neighbour who lent the news crew a fire extinguisher.