Toronto altercation

[Don Denton]

Have to admit, I hadn't heard about this until I saw this CBC story this morning....

"A member of the news media was assaulted by a protester in Toronto this past weekend.

The altercation happened on camera, in front of police, with dozens of people standing by. The incident in which a journalist was struck by an activist — ironically, at an anti-hate rally — seemed entirely unprovoked: a pathetic attack on someone who was just there to do his job.

Every Canadian who respects the role of the news media (and knows that grown-ups aren't supposed to hit each other) ought to be outraged. Though, at a guess, at least a few readers are only learning about this incident now."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/toronto-sun-rally-1.4783933

[Daniel Crump]

While that is absolutely unacceptable, I am not shocked by it all. Unfortunately it seems fewer and fewer people actually do respect news media. As Canada begins to divide more and more politically I suspect scenes like this will only become more frequent.

In my own experience I have never been physically assaulted, but I have been verbally set upon by folks from both extremes of the political spectrum. I've been informed that I wasn't "allowed" to photograph at public events taking place in public places for reasons like "it's a safe space", "it's an invasion of privacy", "media isn't welcome". I've even been told taking someones picture (in a public space) without first getting consent is akin to assault, and I've heard about my white male privilege on numerous occasions. These can all certainly be valid concerns, and considerations need to be given to things like safety of individuals, positions (or perceptions) of power, social/racial dynamics, and many many other things. But, it also highlights how important it is for us to know our rights as journalists and photographers.

Hopefully there will be some follow up on this to show that assault is never okay under any circumstance, and to reaffirm that journalists are allowed to do there job without the threat of being assaulted with impunity.

Those are my two cents. This seems like a good opportunity for discussion and I'd be interested to hear what others think, and what others have experienced.

[Ali Ledgerwood]

Hi all,

Here's NPAC's official statement sent via CNW today:

NEWS PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
REACTS TO PHOTOJOURNALIST ASSAULT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (August 14, 2018)

Toronto, Canada: Members of the News Photographers Association of Canada (NPAC) are extremely dismayed over recent events at a protest in Toronto, Ontario, where veteran photojournalist Stan Behal was physically assaulted. The Toronto Sun photographer was covering a demonstration when he was assaulted in front of a crowd, including members of the Toronto Police Service.

“We ask for the same respect, dignity and freedom to do our job as the Canadians we work so hard to inform enjoy in their workplaces,” says Cole Burston, NPAC President.

“In an era where epithets like ‘fake news’ are undermining the integrity of  journalists around the world, we are seeing real, tangible effects of a concerted effort to establish distrust between the public and the press corps,” says Burston. “A free press is necessary for an informed public. Photojournalists, reporters and editors are committed to a code of ethics built on truth, accuracy, humanity and accountability. The incident with Mr. Behal underscores the growing challenge our colleagues face in simply doing their jobs, and that’s not acceptable.”

Globally, photojournalists capture the faces, stories, and moments of the communities they profile. They are visual storytellers who bring us to the places that we can’t be at to see for ourselves.

About NPAC:
NPAC celebrates and champions quality and ethical photography in journalism. Through a variety of efforts, the association challenges its members to better themselves and to continually raise the bar of industry standards.
This national organization includes over 300 professional press and documentary photographers, photo editors and photojournalism students from across Canada.

-30-

For further information:
Laura Ballance
Laura Ballance Media Group
laura@lbmg.ca
604-771-5176 (mobile)

[Steve Russell]

Thanks for getting this note out!
NPAC has also tweeted it out, Please retweet!

[Ali Ledgerwood]

Hi all,

Just wanted to give an update that on Saturday, August 18, 2018, Donald Joseph Macleod, 29, of Toronto, was arrested and charged with one charge of assault.

He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, September 26, 2018, at Old City Hall, courtroom 111, at 10 a.m.

[Warren Toda]

As Ali mentioned above, an arrest has been made in the August 11 assault on a Toronto Sun photographer during a demonstration. And he wasn't the only photographer targeted.

George Carlin once said in an interview that he likes individuals but he hates groups of people with a common purpose because this leads to hats and armbands. Today you can probably replace hats and armbands with hoodies and bandanas.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsyXPQfQdQo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsyXPQfQdQo</a>

In my own experience I have never been physically assaulted, but I have been verbally set upon by folks from both extremes of the political spectrum. I've been informed that I wasn't "allowed" to photograph at public events taking place in public places for reasons like "it's a safe space", "it's an invasion of privacy", "media isn't welcome". I've even been told taking someones picture (in a public space) without first getting consent is akin to assault . . .

Over the past couple decades, it's never ceased to amaze me how many Canadians do NOT support freedom of expression or a free press. These people come from all walks of life and includes those who should know better such as some lawyers, school teachers, university professors and politicians.

I've learned that such people are not so much against free speech but rather they are against dissenting views. You are free to say anything you want as long as they agree with it.

It's the same with regard to having a free press where these people will "approve" media coverage as long as it supports their viewpoint and makes them look good.

But one problem is that these people never question their own views or actions but only those of others. They love to, literally and figuratively, shout down dissenting views. They think that the one who yells the loudest, pushes the most, blocks photographers or uses any other bully tactic, becomes the "winner."

This is especially true when, as Carlin mentioned, people are in groups because then they can, literally and figuratively, hide inside that group of like-minded people. None of us is as dumb as all of us.  Better information here on why people become stupid in a crowd:

We think of the internet as an information superhighway. It’s not, it’s a bias superhighway. Twitter and Facebook are wonderful ways of sharing information, but it may be that because we’re sharing our prejudices, they’re making us dumber.

Everyone likes to think they're right and they're on the winning side. It's very convenient that no matter who we are or what our circumstances are, we're always on the correct political side, the correct religion, the correct skin colour, the correct nationality and so on. Funny how that works out.

Photographers know the benefit of having different lenses - each gives us a different view of the world around us. But sadly some people only see through the one lens chained around their neck.




Added (from August 17):

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmorXfZDnd0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmorXfZDnd0</a>

There's a "fun" news story to be had by explaining (and showing) how someone's thought process and perception can be altered by the beliefs, actions and identity of people around them. Even just the size of the crowd around you can affect your thought process. You always hear the phrase, "they just fell in with the wrong bunch of people." This is often very true.