Militant Left expresses solidarity to National Union of Journalists (NUJ) member Amanda Ferguson who was attacked by the far right in Belfast on Saturday. One of the far right began filming her as she was doing her job. When she challenged him he knocked the phone from her hand. Fortunately Amanda was not physically injured.
This behaviour cannot be accepted. Media workers must be free to do their work free of violence and intimidation. The far right is intimidating journalists because they do not want their activities exposed. Media workers are one of the groups most at risk of intimidation from them.
Two journalists have already been killed in the North, Martin O’Hagan and Lyra McKee and the state is engaged in repression directed against media workers. Thus journalists are facing real danger. That’s because paramilitaries, the state and the far-right are against real freedom of speech.
The NUJ has come out in support of Amanda. That is welcome. We say to trade unionists, socialists and all who oppose racists and fascists – stand with Amanda. No to far right attacks.