Reporting from the field was once again hit by violence. During the protest in Tirana, several journalists and camera crews were attacked by masked protesters, while the institutional response came later, with calls for greater caution and a request for the Police to guarantee the safety of media teams.
Attacks on journalists during reporting
According to publicly released information, several masked protesters assaulted journalists and attacked camera crews from several media outlets as they were reporting from the gathering.
The incidents once again highlight the high exposure of journalists in the field, especially during protests and tense situations, where their safety is often put to the test.
AMA reaction after the incidents
After the event, the chair of the Audiovisual Media Authority, Armela Krasniqi, reacted by expressing solidarity with the injured journalists.
According to her statement, following inquiries with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, it was confirmed that the injured journalists were no longer in hospital premises.
Call for real protection, not only statements
Krasniqi stressed that journalists, women journalists and camera operators must have safe working conditions and be able to carry out their duties freely, especially when reporting in tense circumstances.
She called on the parties to show care and restraint toward media teams, while asking the State Police to pay special attention to their safety during reporting.
The role of the media at the protest
In her reaction, the head of AMA underlined that journalists in the field perform a service in the public interest and that their work requires respect, support and protection.
The incident brings back into focus not only violence against the media, but also the question of how effective the responsible structures are in preventing attacks on journalists at such moments.
Attacks on journalists while carrying out their duties remain a serious alarm for media freedom and for minimum safety standards at public events.
When reporting teams become targets of attack, the problem is not only order on the ground, but also the concrete protection of the public’s right to be informed.