United States: Khrystyna Shevchenko, Attacked And Injured: “Society Has The Right To Know Truth, And Who Are The Messengers Of The Truth? Journalists.”
Location: United States, Santa Monica, CA
Date: June 9, 2020
VOA (Voice of America) Ukraine’s video journalist Khrystyna Shevchenko says she has never been confronted with violence during her journalism career, not even when she worked in the civil war zone in Ukraine.
“I worked in Ukraine during [the] revolution and war, and I was in the Ukraine, doing some documentaries in the gray zone of the war,” she said, referring to areas just behind a conflict’s front line. But the “first time I was injured, it happened here in Santa Monica." says Shevchenko recalling the incident on May 31st that led to her foot injury.
Shevchenko was attacked by a man who wanted to take her camera as witnesses said while covering the protests in Santa Monica. She instinctively yelled “I’m press!” as she felt a punch in the temple of her head and dropped her camera gear on her foot, requiring a cast for her three broken toes.
PHOTO CREDIT: PICTURES USED IN THIS STATEMENT ARE TAKEN BY KHRYSTYNA SHEVCHENKO FOR VOA.
Shevchenko said she was treated for her injuries in an ambulance and then went home to file her story.
“Society has the right to know truth, and who are the messengers of the truth?” she asked. “Journalists.”
“We cover all aspects [of protests] and that's the way that people can know. And it's unacceptable that someone attacks journalists, because it's their work.”
Demonstrations sparked across the United States after murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, in the pursuit of justice. With numerous police forces deployed to protest sites, journalists face constant threat of violence, arrest and censorship. Hundreds of journalists have reported to have faced attempts at censorship, verbal attacks, blatant threats and police violence. Hundreds of journalists have been arrested while on duty and black journalists who take the ongoing civil unrest very personally are especially targeted. CFWIJ follows the events closely with great concern.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism urges all parties to stop targeted attacks on journalists, media crews, and news organizations covering the demonstrations.
The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.