STA, 18 October 2020 - The Slovenian Journalists' Association (DNS) said on Sunday it was not familiar with the details of an incident that occurred during Friday's protests in Ljubljana involving rapper Zlatko. However, it stressed it condemned all forms of violence, both verbal and physical. The DNS also called on media to act in line with professional standards.
The association said that the society must not accept the atmosphere where verbal and physical attacks become a normal risk for journalists during their work.
The situation is overheating because of the general social atmosphere and an increasingly hostile environment, created by verbal attacks and discreditations by many who should be role models. "This is cause for concern and we will not agree to this," the DNS said in a press release.
Objavljam ekskluzivni posnetek našega snemalca. S posnetka je razvidno, da je raper Zlatko, ki ni upošteval ukrepa nošnje maske na prostem in prepovedi zbiranja nad 10 oseb, udaril po kameri in jo iztrgal iz rok našega snemalca, ki je samo opravljal svoje delo. pic.twitter.com/vAm3zZXbhw
— Luka Svetina (@LukaSvetina) October 16, 2020
Zlatko je fizično napadel snemalca, posredovala je policija. #petkovprotest pic.twitter.com/muSnK1hZ2b
— Aljoša Masten (@mastenMMC) October 16, 2020
Profesionalno delo @policija_si
— Slovenski nacionalist (@BalanticMatjaz) October 16, 2020
Ljubljenec @rtvslo se je zjokal po napadu na novinarja #kretenbrezmaske pic.twitter.com/BrJTr41VyA
It called on everyone, including media, not to take part in creating such an environment. "Media should act in line with professional standards, the code of ethics of Slovenian journalists and the Munich declaration, and not make inciting or insulting reports.
"We promote a professional role of the media in the society, and see them as independent supervisors of those who are on power, not as a part of party propaganda mechanisms."
The Association of Journalists and Commentators (ZNP) strongly condemned on Saturday the incident that occurred during Friday's protests in Ljubljana and involved rapper Zlatko grabbing the camera from a Nova24 cameraman. It said this was an "attack on journalistic freedom and consequently on freedom of expression".
The reaction came after Zlatko approached the Nova24 cameraman and grabbed his camera, demanding that he erase the recording. After police intervened, the camera was returned. Several videos of the incident have been published on social media.
The ZNP said that the attack on the cameraman "just became he does not come from the 'right' media according to [Zlatan] Čordić" was an "attack on journalistic freedom and consequently on freedom of expression. It is inadmissible that violence determines who can do journalism and who risks being attacked."
