A supporter of the US President Donald Trump has attacked a BBC cameraman at a campaign rally in El Paso, Texas.
Wearing a ‘Make America Great Again’ cap, the man pushed and swore at the BBC’s Ron Skeans and other news crews before being pulled away.
Mr. Skeans said the “very hard shove” came from his blindside. “I didn’t know what was going on.”
Just attended my first @realDonaldTrump rally where my colleague BBC cameraman Rob Skeans was attacked by a Trump supporter. The crowd had been whipped up into a frenzy against the media by Trump and other speakers all night #TrumpElPaso pic.twitter.com/Oiw8osPms3
— Eleanor Montague (@EleanorMontague) 12 February 2019
Donald Trump saw the attack and confirmed Mr. Skeans was well with a thumbs up gesture after it happened.
The president has had a bad blood with the media from the very start of his time in office.
He has claimed journalists are “the enemy of the people” and slammed the “fake news” for reports he deems unfavorable.
Mr. Skeans said the man almost knocked him and his camera over twice before he was wrestled away by a blogger.
President Trump checked they were well with a thumbs up, and continued his speech after Mr. Skeans returned the gesture.
BBC Washington producer Eleanor Montague and Washington correspondent Gary O’Donoghue were sitting in front of the camera.
Ms. Montague said the protester had attacked other news crews but Mr. Skeans “got the brunt of it”.
A campaign official for Mr. Trump afterwards suggested the attacker was drunk. however people condemned such an act.
This is the shameful moment when my cameraman Ron Skeans was attacked by @realdDonaldTrump supporter in El Paso – after the President repeatedly goaded the crowd over supposed media bias. Happily Ron is fine #TrumpElPaso pic.twitter.com/F3pv04fRBg
— Gary O’Donoghue (@BBCBlindGazza) 12 February 2019