Attacks on journalists, Nikola Mitic i Matija Gacic, Nis, 21.06.2020.

Translations: Beograd 

• Case info

• Personal info

• Regional center

  RS
• Gender

  Male
• Victim(s) name

  Nikola Mitić i Matija Gačić

• Media outlet

• Name of the media outlet

  Južne vesti
• Type of media platform

  Online Media
  
• Source of information about the incident

  Južne vesti

• Incident Data

• Date of incident

  21.06.2020
• City

  Niš
• Perpetrator(s)

  Not known
• Attacked by

  (ordinary) citizens
  
• Type of incident

  Actual attacks on journalists

• Action by the authorities

• Action taken by the journalists' association

• Was journalist's association informed by the journalists directly?

  Yes

 

Photographer and journalist of Juzne vesti were verbally attacked in the yard of the elementary school “Stefan Nemanja” in Nis, when they photographed people with voting lists in front of a polling station.

Journalists noticed people holding papers with tables with certain lists with names and data in them. After being asked what was on those lists and the lady’s answer, the photographer took a picture. The question and photos infuriated the persons who carried the lists with the names and surnames of  people, addresses and telephone numbers.

Shortly afterward, a person who introduced himself as the husband of the woman who was asked the questions tried to hijack the camera and verbally attacked the journalists. It was an older man who was persistently trying to snatch the camera from the hands of the photojournalist of Juzne vesti, Matija Gacic, while threateningly saying “you are playing a hotshot ?” and “delete those images.”

 

The journalists also managed to make an audio recording that captured the moment of the attack. Journalist Mitic says that swearing followed, but also threats such as “I’ll break your legs”.

After an oral report by phone, the police quickly went to the field, took a statement from the attacked journalist and photographer, and then found the attacker himself, who was calmly leaving the yard of the “Stefan Nemanja” Elementary School, where the incident took place.