The more leftists insist we aren't allowed to talk about left-wing political violence, the more I'm inclined to circle back to the subject. As a companion story to today's item about a conservative student getting roughed up by Antifa thugs when he showed up in solidarity at an anti-Alt-Right rally, here is CNN anchor Jake Tapper refusing to look away from the hard left's pattern of targeting journalists -- developments that you'd think the entire press would be all over. A righteous, necessary tweet storm:
At least two journalists in Charlottesville were assaulted by people protesting the Klan/Nazi/alt-right rally. Taylor is one: https://t.co/haVOw89uTN
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 17, 2017
He also references this assault, which put a CBS photojournalist in the hospital:
.@CBS6 Photojournalist Assaulted While Covering Protest In Richmond, VApic.twitter.com/6N1GlszI4D
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) August 14, 2017
5/ a source at the station says he's been out for three days with a concussion.https://t.co/ja7v2hsN7e
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 17, 2017
Tapper links to Antifa's statement "explaining" the attack, which the victim's TV station says is a pile of outright lies (and the video above backs up their account). One of Antifa's claims is that they demanded the journalist stop doing his job because he didn't have "consent" to document what was happening -- accusing the news-gatherer they assaulted of perpetuating "rape culture:"
When this man ran up he was told people did not want to be filmed. He proceeded to film anyways. He was then told AGAIN that he was not to film people’s faces. He proceeded anyways. He intentionally ignored the denial of consent, still without identifying himself (though we still wouldn’t care), which was a threat to safety and should be considered in a context of perpetuating rape culture. Denial of consent by the media is still a denial of consent and is disgusting and parasitic behavior.
A journalist doing his job by filming rioters is a "threat to safety," you see -- not the rioters. And for failing to get their "consent" for doing his job, he's sort of like a rapist. These people aren't just violent liars; they're insane violent liars. Tapper concludes with an expression of well-earned disgust:
8/ these are unprovoked assaults on journalists doing their jobs -- by those marching *against* the hateful racists.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 17, 2017
Disgusting.
-fin-
By the way, the CBS affiliate whose photojournalist was hospitalized (and reportedly missed days of work with a concussion) requested an interview with leaders Antifa. Their verbatim reply: "F*** no."
Notebook