British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Jeremy Hunt on Tuesday condemned an attack on a BBC cameraman by a supporter of US President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in El Paso, Texas.
Asked on Tuesday by Sky News whether it was acceptable for Trump to whip up his fans to the point that a cameraman was attacked, Hunt said: “It is never acceptable when journalists and cameramen are attacked just for doing their job.”
Wearing a “Make America Great Again” cap, a man was seen shoving BBC cameraman Ron Skeans before being pulled away on Monday, according to a BBC video.
Trump has frequently attacked the news media for what he views as unfair coverage, decrying some outlets as peddlers of “fake news” and the “enemy of the people.”
News outlets have pushed back, with New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger joining others in saying that Trump’s language has increased the prospect of journalists facing violence.
“There is a broader issue here, which is that, last year, 80 journalists were killed across the world just for doing their job,” Hunt said. “We are very worried about this.”
The White House News Photographers Association condemned the attack and said that the White House, the Secret Service and local law enforcement should do more to protect journalists at Trump events.
Trump “condemns all acts of violence against any individual or group of people, including members of the press. We ask that anyone attending an event do so in a peaceful and respectful manner,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.
The BBC reported that the Trump supporter pushed Skeans and cursed at him during the rally. It published video of the encounter that ends with the supporter being restrained and moved away from the media area.
“Are you all right?” Trump asked after seeing the encounter, giving the thumbs-up sign to the cameraman. “Everything OK?”
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