A 41-year-old man in Vinkovci is facing both criminal and misdemeanour proceedings after threatening a media worker while intoxicated and subsequently insulting police officers who intervened. The incident occurred last Thursday during a cultural event, the Vukovar-Srijem Police Administration has reported.
According to the police, the incident took place on 21 May, when the man, who had a blood alcohol level of 2.14‰, disturbed public order on a public street. He initially shouted before directing threats at a media worker who was filming a report during the event, Index.hr reports.
Police officers arrived shortly afterwards, at which point the 41-year-old began insulting and verbally abusing them. He was taken into police custody and placed in a detention facility until he sobered up.
Following the completed criminal investigation, the competent State Attorney’s Office will receive a criminal complaint against the suspect on suspicion of making threats. A misdemeanour proposal will also be submitted to the competent court for offences against public order and peace.
The police noted that the case was handled in accordance with the Protocol on Police Procedures in Cases of Criminal Offences Committed Against Journalists and Other Media Workers. The protocol was signed by the Croatian Ministry of the Interior, the Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA) and the Trade Union of Croatian Journalists (TUCJ) with the aim of ensuring the protection of journalists and other media professionals while performing their work.