Attacks against journalists in Berlin: facts and trends

Attacks against journalists in Germany: facts and trends

By Alban Sharkey

 

A spate of assaults on media workers in Germany shows how the COVID-19 pandemic is bringing a new kind of violence onto the streets and endangering journalists at work.

 

On the first of May 2020, a police officer punched a 22-years old female journalist in the face during a demonstration in Kreuzberg, Berlin. Later, on the same day, dozens of men armed with metal sticks attacked a camera crew from the German Public Service Media, ZDF. Five days later, on the sixth of May, a demonstrator attacked a camera operator from the German Public Service Media, ARD during an illegal demonstration in front of the parliament building (Reichstag). On May the ninth, a dozen of men assaulted journalists at a demonstration in Dortmund. This was the fourth attack on journalists in less than ten days.

 

The aggression against journalists from ZDF on the 1st of May triggered bitter political debates on social networks and in the German media. In the first forty-eight hours following the attack, media silence regarding the assailants’ political background was widely interpreted as a sign of left-wing favouritism on the part of the press.

 

Without waiting for the police statement to be released, several actors appropriated the events for their political goals. On the second of May, the far-right Alternativ für Deutschland (Alternative for Germany or AfD) shared a tweet from Dieter Stein, editor-in-chief of the alt-right daily Junge Freiheit (Young Freedom), accusing the media of partisanship for allegedly downplaying the attackers’ political orientation. The party adds in its post that media partisanship is a “well-known principle” when it comes to political aggression. In an article relayed by the nationalist movement Identitäre Bewegung (Identity Movement), the German alt-right tabloid Compact accused politicians and media of concealing what they claimed to be facts, namely that the attackers came from the left of the political spectrum.

 

Attacks on journalists do happen at left-wing demonstrations in Germany. The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)’s own Jane Whyatt was caught up in the violent scenes at a counter demonstration in Leipzig against three converging neo-Nazi marches through the city. Whether at protests during the G20 summit in Hamburg or in counterdemonstrations against xenophobic marches, left-wing activists have been involved in physical attacks and destruction of journalistic material.

 

Yet they are significantly less numerous. Statistics compiled in an ECPMF’s ongoing fact-finding mission in Germany clearly show this. Between 2015 and 2020, only 9% of assaults against journalists in Germany came from the political left, while 77% came from the political right (14% remained undetermined). The difficulty of classifying aggression from the left springs from the way they organise: their ideological foundation is fragile and unsystematic. Many far-left activists condemn assaults on journalists. In contrast, the German alt-right is in solid agreement when it comes to attacking what they call the ‘Lügenpresse’ or “Lying Press”.

 

There are reasons why the media have not rushed into publishing statements about the alleged attackers’ political motives or background. Suspects held in custody have the right to remain silent. It takes time to determine the motives of any illegal action. No formal statement has confirmed any political intentions behind the attacks and all suspects in the ZDF attack have been released with no arrest warrant issued. Discretion, independence and rigour are important aspects of any democratic investigation process.

 

Recurring aggression points at deeper underlying issues than simple binary politics. Many demonstrators in the German capital did not believe in the current media discourse regarding Covid-19. They distrusted the media even before they had a chance to share their news. They stigmatised them before they attacked them. Attacks on journalists are symptomatic of broader issues concerning trust in the media.

Read news by categories:

Related news

Press release

Flutura Kusari receives the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) is extremely proud to announce that Senior Legal Advisor Flutura Kusari has been awarded the prestigious Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

READ MORE
Statement

Coalition calls for effective implementation as the Parliament adopts the European Media Freedom Act

The European Parliament adopted with an overwhelming majority (464 in favour, 92against, 65 abstentions) the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA).

READ MORE
Statement

Georgia: MFRR partners denounce smear campaign against journalist by speaker of the Parliament

The MFRR today expresses concern at the discrediting of a prominent Georgian journalist by Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of the Georgian Parliament.

READ MORE
Feature

“Resisting together means living together” – Female journalism in Turkey

Özgür Sevinç Şimşek was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison in Turkey for her journalistic activities. Şimşek, who is also a film director, regained her freedom in 2021 after having spent 5 and a half years behind bars.

READ MORE
Statement

Safeguarding women journalists in the digital age

On International Women’s Day, MFRR coalition partners publish a critical examination of attacks against women journalists in the European Union and candidate countries.

READ MORE
Statement

Italy: MFRR partners strongly condemn investigation into Domani journalists

The undersigned media freedom and civil society organisations strongly condemn the investigation of three Domani journalists for allegedly receiving confidential documents from a public official and for alleged breaching of secrets through the publication of information contained in those documents.

READ MORE