A senior Indian journalist covering a protest at the Indian Embassy was attacked on Saturday following which a statement was released by Eileen O'Reilly, President of the National Press Club, and Gil Klein, President of the National Press Club Journalism Institute.
The statement said that the National Press Club was “dismayed” that the senior journalist was “harassed, abused and eventually struck in the side of the head by a stick swung by Khalistan protestors outside the Indian Embassy. By all reports the Secret Service did a great job, stepping in and warning the protestors and calling for more officers to secure the perimeter so that journalists including Lalit could continue to report safely. In recent days, there have been similar protests at Indian consulates in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. Bundles of stout sticks are brought in and used to threaten and intimidate journalists and others during the protests. Journalism is a dangerous business and without some quick work by the Secret Service, Lalit might have been more seriously injured.”
“We urge those who protest around Embassies and Consulates to follow the U.S. laws related to Press Freedom at all times and we commend the Secret Service and local police for acting quickly to ensure the safety” of the reporters at the scene.
The National Press Club, which was founded in 1908, is the world's leading professional organization for journalists with nearly 3,000 members. The National Press Club Journalism Institute, which is the non-profit affiliate of the National Press Club, promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press and equips journalists with the skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy.
