Senior police officer abuses journalists

A senior police officer is alleged to have verbally abused and shoved some local journalists and attempted to prevent them from covering Saturday’s blast at Mt. Lavinia, resulting in a heated argument between the police and the journalists. The incident was recorded on camera.

Video footage shows the officer being very aggressive towards at least one journalist, grabbing him by the neck and pushing him beyond the cordoned-off area several feet away from the actual blast site.

The journalist attached to Derana TV has filed a police complaint over the incident.

The senior officer had allegedly refused to allow the journalists from carrying out their duties by getting close to the site of the bus bombing to take photographs or video the aftermath of the incident which resulted in several civilians being injured and property damaged.

“We are only trying to do our job. We will not obstruct you from doing your duty but let us do ours’ as well,” some of the journalists were seen and heard shouting out to the police officer.

With the heated exchange threatening to get out of hand some junior police officers were later seen attempting to calm everybody concerned after the journalists were agitated by the attitude of the senior officer who subsequently withdrew from the area.

“This accreditation card has been issued by the government information department. It is kindly requested to afford this journalist all facilities to carry out his/her duties without let or hindrance,” is what the media accreditation card issued to journalists by the government information department and signed by its Director Aanusha Palpita says

Media rights groups have frequently raised concerns over authorities obstructing journalists from carrying out their professional duties despite what is termed as their “right” as part of media freedom.