On Tuesday, supporters of Hezbollah and the Amal movement assaulted and severely injured Sawt Beirut’s correspondent Rabih Shantef and cameraman Mahmoud Al-Sayed, while they were covering the fire that erupted in an apartment in the Zoukak El-Blat area of Beirut.
According to Al-Jadeed’s live coverage, the apartment in which the fire erupted was empty and no one got hurt. The civil defense immediately got the flames under control.
The journalists Shantaf and Al-Sayed headed to the apartment after the fire was extinguished in order to complete the coverage, and were surprised by a number of men who were present in the building.
According to Shantef, the men pushed the crew during the filming, which was broadcasting Live on Facebook, until cameraman Al-Sayed decided to stop filming.
However, that didn’t stop the men’s hostility. On the contrary, they went physically assaulting the crew, reportedly all the way down the stairs of the building.
الزميلان ربيع شنطف والمصور محمود السيد كانا يغطيان الحريق في زقاق البلاط، تعرضا للاعتداء والضرب المبرح بعد قطع البث المباشر على فايسبوك. تعرضوا لضرب من عدة اشخاص وتم نقلهما الى المستشفى.الاعتداء وحشي وبلطجي وهمجي نفذه همجيون. الصحافة رسالة فالى متى الاعتداء على الصحفيين!. #بلطجية pic.twitter.com/AUaWbghfLU
— Salman Andary (@salmanonline) November 25, 2020
“About 30 people were attacking us while screaming ‘Did you insult Mr. Hassan and Nabih Berri?'” Shantef recounted. “They stole our cell phones and continued to beat us until the army intervened.”
Both reporters were transported to the American University Hospital where they are being treated for multiple serious injuries.
As of the time of writing, Shantef is reportedly having difficulties breathing while cameraman Al-Sayed is dealing with injuries specifically on the head.
Needless to point out that this outrageous assault has caused a public outrage, especially among journalists. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time reporters get assaulted and/or threatened in Lebanon while performing their duties.
