The Beijing Winter Olympics are officially underway, but Chinese authorities have demonstrated to the rest of the world that they will not permit any form of free press even during the games.
In an incredible clip from the Dutch broadcaster, one of the reporters covering the Games in Beijing is shown being manhandled by a security guard wearing a red armband.
Sjoerd den Daas, the reporter, attempted to continue his show while being held and screamed at by the guard, but NOS cut away to the studio.
Sjoerd den Daas tried to resume his broadcast but was yanked away in what appears to be one of China’s latest intimidation tactics aimed at international journalists.
In a Twitter post, Dutch broadcaster NOS wrote: “Our correspondent [den Daas] was pulled away from the camera by security guards at 12:00 pm live in the NOS Journaal. Unfortunately, this is increasingly becoming a daily reality for journalists in China. He is fine and was able to finish his story a few minutes later.”
Onze correspondent @sjoerddendaas werd om 12.00u live in het NOS Journaal door beveiligers voor de camera weggetrokken. Helaas is dit steeds vaker de dagelijkse realiteit voor journalisten in China. Hij is in orde en kon zijn verhaal gelukkig een paar minuten later afmaken pic.twitter.com/GLTZRlZV96
— NOS (@NOS) February 4, 2022
According to the Daily Beast, the journalist’s report was not photogenic enough because Mr. den Daas was shooting on a poorly lit street rather than the fashionable Bird’s Nest stadium.
According to The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China’s (FCCC) recent Media Freedoms report from last month, foreign journalists are “facing unprecedented hurdles” as a result of the “government’s efforts to prevent and discredit independent reporting.”
(With inputs from agencies)
