In Rivne, ‘Inter’ journalist got attacked during city meeting in support of head of oblast police

On May 18, in Rivne in the city meeting concerning the appointment of the head of the oblast police department Mykola Shchyruk the ‘Inter’ TV channel’s correspondent in Rivne oblast Inna Biletska was attacked by an unidentified woman. During the meeting there erupted numerous conflicts between Shchyruk’s opponents and his supporters, who were in minority. After the meeting was over, the conflicts became physical.

Supporters of the newly appointed chief of police came up to the stage near the monument to Taras Shevchenko, and  journalists started to film it. Shchyruk’s supporters did not like it; one of women in this group came up to Inna Biletska and hit her on the hand with the smart phone, with which the journalist was filming. The phone fell.

The meeting participants saw this and started to shout, "Attack on a journalist!" and attacked Shchyruk’s supporters. The police tried to intervene, but Shchyruk’s supporters would not let them detain the aggressive woman and helped her out of the square.

According to Biletska, she was attacked after she recorded how the police command was giving money to the group that came to Rivne to express support to the appointment of Shchyruk for their participation in the meeting.