Poland: Two Polish Reporters Are Assaulted By Masked Men While Covering Women’s Rally

Location: Poland
Date: October 31, 2020

Available in: 🇵🇱  Polska

Gazeta Wyborcza reporters Magda Kozioł and Joanna Urbańska-Jaworska were assaulted at the women’s rallies across Poland. Reporters were taken to the hospital after suffering minor injuries. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is devastated by the recent attacks against journalists and calls on Polish authorities to ensure the safety of journalists who are covering the rallies.

At least three journalists, two of which are women, were assaulted by a group of masked men while reporting on a protest against the restrictive abortion law. The three were subsequently taken to the hospital with minor injuries. On October 28, 2020, Magda Koziol, a journalist from leading Polish daily newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza, was hit in the stomach and thrown to the ground as she was filming a group of 30 men covered in black during a women’s rally in the city of Wrocław. Magda was treated in hospital for minor injuries, according to Piotr Stasiński, Gazeta Wyborcza deputy editor. Meanwhile, journalist Joanna Urbańska-Jaworska, who is also a reporter at the Gazeta Wyborcza, was dragged and thrown to the ground by another masked man, who knocked the camera out of her hands. The attack was filmed by a reporter from Radio GRA and both incidents were reported to the police.

Gazeta Wyborcza released a statement about the assaults and confirmed that on October 29, 2020, the suspected man who attacked Magda Kozioł was detained by the police, the suspect is a hooligan from a football group. Police are still searching for another attacker who physically assaulted journalists.

Police identified the suspect from the video on Twitter. The video shows the suspect’s attack on the journalist where he tried to use tear gas on her. Nevertheless, his detention was called off only a few hours later, after it came to the public opinion. Representatives of the District's prosecutor’s office in Wrocław claimed that there is no danger of a potential obstruction of justice. The attacker was released on 6000 złotych bail, he will be on probation in case of an escape.

The Polish journalists raised the issue of the attacker’s criminal past. Additionally, police found illegal substances during the search of his apartment and the criminal admitted to having illegal substances. There was also suspicion that the car the suspect used had been stolen.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is horrified with the recent aggression and violations against journalists in Poland. We call on all Polish authorities to ensure the safety of journalists who are covering news stories from the public marches and rallies. We condemn the attacks against journalists across the country.

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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world, and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

Follow us on Instagram @womeninjournalism and Twitter @CFWIJ. Our website is WomenInJournalism.org and we can be reached at press@womeninjournalism.org

The Coalition For Women In Journalism closely monitors the incidents in Turkey with great concern. Since March 8, Women's Day, police violence against women journalists increasingly continues in the country. As the coalition, we urge the Turkish state to provide a free environment for journalists. Following the news is our most fundamental democratic right to report. We demand the immediate release of our detained colleagues. Journalism is not a crime. Journalism cannot be prevented.

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