Liv Thomson
Police officers to receive updated media training as part of initiatives aimed at safeguarding journalists reporting from protests.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer launched an improved national action plan for journalist safety in the UK earlier this month, in efforts to “protect and enhance the freedom of our press.”
Frazer expressed the importance of upholding journalistic rights and integrity: “At a time when reporters are losing their lives while showing the world what is happening in the Middle East and Ukraine, and where misinformation about the conflicts is rife on social media, the importance of rigorous, fact-checked journalism has never been more apparent.”
“No journalist should be prevented from doing their job due to fear of violence, abuse or harassment,” she said.
A task force will be established to facilitate the exchange of information on safeguarding editorial personnel, and an online tool will serve as a portal for reporting instances of abuse or safety concerns.
National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists
From 1st November, police across the UK have been offered additional media training to help officers understand the rights and duties of journalists. This follows incidents of wrongful arrests of journalists reporting in the field.
This includes the recent arrest of LBC reporter Charlotte Lynch, who had been covering a Just Stop Oil protest on the M25 motorway in Hertfordshire at the time.
Yesterday I was arrested by @HertsPolice whilst covering a protest on the M25.
I showed my press card, and I was handcuffed almost immediately. My phone was snatched out of my hand. I was searched twice, held in a cell for 5 hours, and I wasn’t questioned whilst in custody.
— Charlotte Lynch (@charlotterlynch) November 9, 2022
As it stands, the National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists is the current standard for police. It was launched in 2021 in order to tackle the rising level of threats and abuse against those working in the industry.
Since its inception, the Plan has been responsible for adding Journalist Safety Officers to over 20 UK police forces, as well as establishing comprehensive guidance to handle online harassment.
The proposed amendments to the plan would build upon the police forces’ existing knowledge of public law and order, so they may best serve and protect news and media industry professionals present at public demonstrations.
One such amendment is the introduction of an online tool through which journalists can report abuse. Another proposes to form a support group where those in the industry can share their experiences.
A new Online Safety Toolkit including a free e-learning course on journalism safety and resilience has also become available through the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ).
It is hoped that these amendments will keep journalistic safety at the heart of policing tactics at demonstrations across the UK, while also addressing the rise of misinformation on social media.
Threats Facing UK Journalists
In the UK, demonstrations are becoming increasingly prevalent with groups that call for climate action, human rights, as well as ceasefire in Gaza amidst the ongoing conflict.
Such demonstrations have become the focus of widespread news coverage, with journalists commonly found reporting live from these events.
With freedom of press comes unfettered freedom on social media, which can be damaging not only to the integrity of a news story, but also to the journalists at the heart of it.
Baseless, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPS) can block the press publishing critical stories
Our new government-led taskforce will build on work in the Economic Crime Bill to tackle them in British courts, bringing together major players in key industries pic.twitter.com/trNUbtMDB5
— Department for Culture, Media and Sport (@DCMS) September 11, 2023
The online epidemic of misinformation, miscommunication and fake news has fostered worrying trends of abuse towards legitimate news reporters.
Journalists have cited these as reasons for the refreshment of the National Action Plan.
Michelle Stanistreet, the general secretary for the National Union of Journalists, said: “Attacks on journalists are deployed to silence and intimidate those who work to uphold the public’s right to know. NUJ members have shared horrific experiences of being attacked, abused and threatened – on and offline – simply for doing their job.
“The action plan is a central part of stamping out such behaviour and ensuring that journalists can go about their vital work safely and free from interference.”
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Liv Thomson
Just another argumentative antithetical dream girl trying her best to make her sentences pretty. She has an undergraduate degree in psychology and is currently pursuing a Master's in broadcast journalism.