The frequent threats against media workers has set the legislators to the need to toughen the penalties for assaulting journalists, — said the Governor of new York Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday, January 15, during his annual speech.
In case of approval of the proposal by the legislators, the journalists will join the list of professions covered by the same acts of assault, such as police, firefighters, judges, train conductors, bus drivers, public prosecutors, workers of sanitary services and health care.
Media play a crucial role in the United States, said Cuomo, therefore, doing their job, journalists must feel protected by the law. Speaking about the dangers of the profession and the pressures on journalists, the Governor referred to the growth of aggression against the media from the White house and several recent threats and attacks on journalists. Speech, in particular, was about improvised bombs, which were sent to the headquarters of CNN in 2018.
«Freedom of the press is a right guaranteed by the Constitution and the Foundation of our democracy,’ said Cuomo. — Nevertheless, the administration trump launched an offensive on the media, calling the press evil in her «fake news» to promote its own inandBenidorm events and cause hatred of the public to the media.»
According to the Committee to protect journalists, in 2018, because of his work killed 34 journalist around the world — almost twice more than in 2017. in June, were shot and killed several employees of the Capital Gazette editorial offices in Maryland.
