CJP: January 6, is a dark anniversary for democracy in the U.S

Today, January 6, is a dark anniversary for democracy in the U.S.—the two-year anniversary of the riot at the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Journalists played a critical role in keeping the world informed that day–and paid a price, said John D. Weis the Director of Development & Outreach at The Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ which  is an independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1981 whose the target is to  promote press freedom worldwide by defending the rights of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal.

Weis said CPJ interviewed journalists who covered the riots. A freelance photojournalist told CPJ, “I had three different people threaten to shoot me over the course of the day’’. 

According to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, which CPJ co-founded with partners in 2017, in the January 6 riots: 

●       18 journalists were assaulted

●       Tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of news equipment were damaged

●       10 people were charged in direct connection with assaults of journalists or destruction of equipment.   

CPJ’s U.S. and Canada Program Coordinator Katherine Jacobsen wrote in January 2021 that while Trump lit the fuse, anti-media sentiment among his supporters could outlast him.  

Attacks on the press should not go unpunished, and with your support, CPJ will continue to demand that journalists in the U.S. and around the globe are able to do their jobs safely and without fear of reprisal., concluded John D. Weis

Director of Development & Outreach at The Committee to Protect Journalists