A Trump supporter in a “Make America Great Again” hat was caught on video attacking a BBC photojournalist at President Trump’s El Paso rally Monday but no charges have been filed, The Daily Beast reported.
Video from the rally shows the Trump supporter shove BBC cameraman Ron Skeans and try to grab his camera. “Fuck the media,” the man was heard yelling as he was restrained by other reporters until security removed him.
The El Paso District Attorney’s office said in a statement to The Daily Beast that it has not yet decided whether to charge the man.
“We have not reviewed any material from law enforcement for charges at this time,” a spokesperson told the outlet. "No charges will be filed until we do."
Trump blamed for attack:
BBC Washington editor Eleanor Montague, who was at the rally as well, pointed the finger at Trump and his associates after the attack.
“The crowd had been whipped up into a frenzy against the media by Trump and other speakers all night,” she said after the rally.
BBC Washington correspondent Gary O’Donoghue said the man “tried to smash our camera.”
“It is clearly unacceptable for any of our staff to be attacked for doing their job,” BBC spokeswoman Charlotte Morgan told The Daily Beast.
Morgan added that Trump “could see the incident and checked with us that all was OK.”
The BBC issued a statement asking the White House to “review of security arrangements for the media attending the president's rallies.”
White House condemns:
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Tuesday that the president wants his supporters to be “peaceful and respectful.”
“President Trump condemns all acts of violence against any individual or group of people—including members of the press,” Sanders said in a statement. “We ask that anyone attending an event do so in a peaceful and respectful manner.”
