This statement was originally published on europeanjournalists.org on 19 August 2019.
Guardian journalist Owen Jones has been physically assaulted in London while celebrating his 35th birthday with friends in the early hours of Saturday morning. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) condemned the outrageous attack on Owen Jones and called on the British authorities to investigate the case and bring the perpetrators to justice.
After leaving a bar near King’s Cross in London on the night of Saturday 17 August, at about 3am, a group of men approached Owen Jones and his friends and began hitting him in the head from behind. According to reports, Jones fell to the ground after being kicked in the back by one of the men. The other attackers proceeded to kick him in the back and head. When his friends tried to intervene, they were also assaulted.
London’s Metropolitan police are reviewing CCTV footage of the attack but have so far made no arrests.
Jones said that in the last year he has repeatedly been the subject of abuse (including homophobic abuse), threats, and attempts to use physical violence. He said that he has also been the target of an increasing volume of death threats from far-right sympathisers.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sent a message of “solidarity” to Jones. He said: “Owen believes it was politically motivated, and we know the far right is on the march in our country. An attack on a journalist is an attack on free speech and our fundamental values.”
We call on the British authorities to investigate the attack on journalist @OwenJones84without delay. Perpetrators must be punished.
— EFJ (@EFJEUROPE) August 18, 2019
Owen Jones has a right to express views which may annoy many of his critics without being attacked. He is a significant voice at this time. https://t.co/apyfneaEvg @NUJofficial
— Séamus Dooley (@Seamusdo) August 18, 2019
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Source: MEDIA FEED
