In Henichesk, taxi drivers attacked journalist who was recording their protest action

On March 22, in Henichesk, Khersonska oblast, unlicensed taxi drivers attacked the editor of local online media outlet “Novyi Vizyt” Hennadiy Osmak. The journalist was threatened, offended, he was grabbed, and his phone was almost pried off from his hand and break it, and they have torn hos jacket. This was reported at the website of the media outlet. The incident took place at the square near rayon state administration, where there was a protest action of about 100 unlicensed taxi drivers from Chonhar and Novooleksiivka. As the media outlet reports, the men were aggressive, were yelling, threatened to create public disorder and “a revolution”. The journalist tried to record the event using his cell phone, but the taxi drivers did not like this. About 10 people from the crowd attacked the journalist, obstructing his professional activity. His requests to stop their illegal actions did not affect them. At that, police officers were present - those police officers asked the editor not to provoke the people. In the end, the police officers pushed the protesters away from the journalist, but they continued to yell at him threats and offences, and throwing some objects at him. “Something like this happens for the first time in 27 years of my work in mass media of Henichesk rayon. The attack is related only to my professional activities. We several time reported about outrage of illegal taxi drivers at the administrative border with Crimea. Those who work without paying taxes, without a license, do not like this. As we see, impunity causes lawlessness. In fact, an armed criminal group if operating in the rayon, and it goes as far as to put out ultimatums to police and to the authorities”, Hennadiy Osmak commented on this incident. Due to obstruction to his lawful professional activities, the journalist filed an official complaint to the police.