JUNE 21, 2005
Posted: July 22, 2005
Gilmário Batista, TV Globo
Lúcio Sturm, TV Globo
Marçal Araújo, TV Globo
ATTACKED
Three men attacked a news crew from television station TV Globo.
The news crew was working on a news report in front of the headquarters of the ruling Workers Party (PT) in the city of São Paulo, in the state of São Paulo. Around 10 p.m., as the they were getting ready to start filming, the attackers arrived, chanting insults against TV Globo, punching and kicking the journalists, and stoning the station’s vehicle, according to Batista, a cameraman. Sturm, a reporter, had the ligaments in one hand torn, and suffered other minor injuries. Batista also suffered minor injuries, but his assistant, Araújo, was hit with the camera’s tripod and suffered a fracture in his jaw. Araújo was taken to a hospital and underwent surgery to have a titanium plate inserted in his face. He recovered and returned to work.
Batista was able to film the incident and later handed in the recording to the police. On June 28, Batista told CPJ, he and Sturm gave their statements to the police. According to local news reports, the attackers have been identified as campaign workers hired by the Socialist Party of United Workers (PSTU) to help with the elections of the banking employees union, whose headquarters are located near the scene of the attack.