TV Reporter Team Attacked on Florianópolis Beach in Southern Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Two NSC TV professionals were attacked on Monday morning, November 2nd, at Campeche beach in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina State capital, while reporting. The team was recording footage of instances of disregard for the state decree that establishes rules to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

On site were reporter Bárbara Barbosa and cameraman Renato Soder. The goal was to report live from the beach. The professionals were surrounded by people who did not want to be filmed on the beach, where they disregarded the state order that bans permanence on the sand strip.

Some people moved in on the camera, threatening to break the equipment unless the team stopped filming. Then, other people attempted to grab the reporter’s cell phone from her hands, which she was using to film the attack.

The reporter was surrounded by the group and was left with bruises from the attack on her arms. The incidents occurred in front of a lifeguard station. There were no State Police or Municipal Guard officers on the beach.

The NSC TV has made contact with the Municipal Guard and the State Police, and will file a report on the threats and attacks suffered by the two professionals.

The NSC Communication issued the following note on the matter:

“The attack and assault on the NSC team, on Monday at Campeche Beach, are an attempt to obstruct the work of the press, to make the facts known to the public – which is guaranteed by the Federal Constitution. Such actions, which unfortunately we disclosed in ‘Jornal do Almoço’ (Lunchtime News), are being repeated all over the country. But they show and reinforce the significance of our work. The offenders will be held accountable for their deeds. And we will continue to do what we do: professional, independent journalism, essential to Santa Catarina society.”

The attack also resonates among press organizations, which have issued supporting notes:

ACI:

“The Santa Catarina Press Association – ACI – sympathizes with the professionals and repudiates the cowardly attacks suffered by an NSC TV team on the morning of this holiday. The team produced a report about the activity on the beaches of the Santa Catarina capital amidst the growth in the number of coronavirus cases when it was tackled and surrounded by people on the beach.

However, far beyond solidarity, the association expresses concern with the growing wave of violence against journalists and journalism. According to the National Federation of Journalists, the number of assaults on press professionals rose from 135 in 2018 to 208 cases in 2019. These are often verbal attacks, attempts to disqualify work, and physical and verbal intimidation, which in several cases have culminated in physical assaults.

Attacks on journalists and journalism undermine democracy and have unpredictable consequences for the freedoms of all. Although the facts reported contradict convictions, it is unacceptable that basic principles of civility and courtesy are violated to the point where professionals are surrounded and attacked simply because they are working. Trying to silence the press is an irresponsible and dangerous approach by people who flirt with authoritarianism without at least understanding the historical implications of such behavior. It is expected that the offenders will be duly identified and appropriately punished, in accordance with the law”.

ACAERT:

“The Santa Catarina Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters – ACAERT – considers it unacceptable that beachgoers who disrespect the social isolation measures and the fight against COVID-19 at Campeche beach, in Florianópolis, used violence in an attempt to prevent the work of journalists who were recording the scene during this holiday.

According to the NSCTV report published on Monday, November 2nd, in ‘Jornal do Almoço’, a group of locals approached the news crew in an intimidating way towards reporter Barbosa and cameraman Renato Soder, threatening to break the filming equipment and seizing the journalist’s cell phone from her hands, who was left with attack marks on her wrists.

The ACAERT recalls that any type of intimidation or embarrassment to the work of reporting teams in their mission to inform the public is an attack on the freedom of the press, particularly during this time of pandemic.

Therefore, we urge the authorities to identify and appropriately punish those responsible for the attacks, stressing that any attempt to hinder the media is also a crime against democracy.”

ANJ:

“The National Association of Newspapers (ANJ) deplores the attacks suffered today by NSC TV journalists in Campeche Beach, Florianópolis. It was a cowardly, authoritarian, and intolerant attitude that shows a lack of understanding of journalists’ role in society. In addition to the verbal and physical attacks, reprehensible in any case, what occurred was also an attempt to prevent the truth from reaching the citizens. Therefore, it is an attack on people’s right to be freely informed. The ANJ hopes that the perpetrators will be identified and referred to Justice, so that they may be punished according to the law.”

ABRAJI:

“The Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (ABRAJI) expresses its solidarity with the NSC TV professionals and urges the authorities to find those responsible and seek the appropriate punishments. Throughout 2020, the ABRAJI has been disclosing attacks on journalists who are on the streets working during the pandemic, to provide information to the public.”

ABI:

“The Brazilian Press Association (ABI) repudiates the attacks suffered on Monday by reporter Bárbara Barbosa and cameraman Renato Soder, of NSC TV, when reporting on Campeche beach, in Florianópolis, on the violation of the state decree on rules to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. In the footage, we highlight, in particular, the bravery of reporter Bárbara Barbosa in facing the truculence of ill-mannered people and transgressors of health laws, mostly men. The ABI expects that, from the footage, the police authorities will identify and prosecute those involved in the attack on journalists, because this type of violence is a threat to the free exercise of journalism and the public’s right to information.”

Source: nsc total