NUJ urges climate camp organisers to condemn attack on photographers

The NUJ has called on the organisers of the climate camp environmental protest in London to “unequivocally condemn” a man who assaulted two photographers at Blackheath on Sunday.
The journalists were attacked as they took pictures of climate campers arguing with Socialist Workers Party supporters.
Jonathan Warren, one of the freelance photographers who was assaulted, wrote: “As my colleague Marc Vallée and I were leaving climate camp we found a group of people arguing around the SWP stall that was selling newspapers and leaflets outside the entrance to the camp.
“As we went in to take photographs the group arguing with the SWP quickly turned their attention to us, shouting loudly that we had not asked their permission before photographing them.
“They were immediately aggressive and threatening, I managed to calm the ones around me and walk away, however, one young man was persistently threatening towards Marc.
“He repeatedly threatened to grab Marc’s camera and delete the pictures himself or smash the camera. After a while we felt that the situation had calmed. Marc said that they should both shake hands and walk away and offered his hand. The man did not take it and as we turned to leave he tried to grab the camera off Marc’s shoulder.
“I stepped in shouting ‘Oi’ and as I did the man took a step back and kicked me hard in the stomach.”
In an open letter to the camp organisers the photographers said: “We ask the man who assaulted us to come forward and apologise and that the camp's organisers unequivocally condemn his actions.”
No incidents of police harassing journalists during the protest have been reported to the NUJ so far.
Jeremy Dear, NUJ general secretary, said: “In the past journalists have exposed heavy handed policing of climate protests. Demonstrators need to understand that photographers must do their job without showing bias. I join with Marc and Jonathan in calling for the climate camp organisers to condemn this attack.”