TV Reporter Being Sexually Assaulted When on Air in Cologne Festival
Sabtu, 06 Februari 2016 - 09:18 WIB
TV Reporter Being Sexually Assaulted When on Air in Cologne Festival
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COLOGNE - A Belgian journalist has told how drunken German yobs do sexually assaulted her live on air. Esmeralda Labye had been unaware of the young men making obscene gestures behind her back as she reported live from the Cologne carnival - where more than 2,000 police had been drafted in following multiple sexual assaults in the city over New Year's Eve.
But while the New Year's Eve assaults have been largely blamed on a mob of young migrant men, the assault on Ms Labye was carried out by Germans. Almost immediately, a young German sang in my ear: “Would you sleep with me tonight?” Then I felt two hands rest on my shoulders.
"Later, I could see on the footage that the person behind me mimed an obscene gesture – something that shouldn’t have been on camera. He was mimicking sexual intercourse a number of times. I could clearly see on my left a man made a finger to the camera. Many times even. I thought that, logically, there would be no problem, given the large police presence," told Labye to Daily Mail.
The broadcast lasted for a total of 90 seconds, after which Labye waited a couple of seconds to allow those in the studio to thank her before she went off air.
"It was at that moment that one of the three men around me touched my breasts. I lost my temper. Knowing we were no longer live, I turned around and told them in English: "You did that twice, not once! Don’t touch me, don’t touch me!". The three drunks didn’t seem to understand why I was angry, but they left without a word.'
She added: ‘The cameraman was furious, he had signalled them to stop a number of times, but he did not see the hands on my breast.'
But Ms Labye and the cameraman decided to carry on, only realising how serious the matter was when people began to call to check if they were okay.
"When the news editor called me to see if I wanted to come home I was confused to begin with. It was only later that I saw the mock penetrations, and the hand touching my breasts," she sad
Yet when they attended a police press conference in the city that Labye became truly angry.
'The police chief said that nothing serious happened during the day,' she said.
‘I told him I was assaulted live on camera and that I was definitely going to file a criminal complaint. I said I had recorded evidence.'
Fears over the security at the festival prompted police to double the number of officers on patrol to more than 2,000 in an effort to reassure the public
Fears over the security at the festival prompted police to double the number of officers on patrol to more than 2,000 in an effort to reassure the public
Despite the increased police presence at the festival, 81 people were arrested at the carnival. Despite the increased police presence at the festival, 81 people were arrested at the carnival
Police are now investigating the incident, alongside 22 sexual assaults reported on the first evening of the carnival. There was also 143 reported cases of bodily harm, 30 robberies, and a total of 181 arrests
But while the New Year's Eve assaults have been largely blamed on a mob of young migrant men, the assault on Ms Labye was carried out by Germans. Almost immediately, a young German sang in my ear: “Would you sleep with me tonight?” Then I felt two hands rest on my shoulders.
"Later, I could see on the footage that the person behind me mimed an obscene gesture – something that shouldn’t have been on camera. He was mimicking sexual intercourse a number of times. I could clearly see on my left a man made a finger to the camera. Many times even. I thought that, logically, there would be no problem, given the large police presence," told Labye to Daily Mail.
The broadcast lasted for a total of 90 seconds, after which Labye waited a couple of seconds to allow those in the studio to thank her before she went off air.
"It was at that moment that one of the three men around me touched my breasts. I lost my temper. Knowing we were no longer live, I turned around and told them in English: "You did that twice, not once! Don’t touch me, don’t touch me!". The three drunks didn’t seem to understand why I was angry, but they left without a word.'
She added: ‘The cameraman was furious, he had signalled them to stop a number of times, but he did not see the hands on my breast.'
But Ms Labye and the cameraman decided to carry on, only realising how serious the matter was when people began to call to check if they were okay.
"When the news editor called me to see if I wanted to come home I was confused to begin with. It was only later that I saw the mock penetrations, and the hand touching my breasts," she sad
Yet when they attended a police press conference in the city that Labye became truly angry.
'The police chief said that nothing serious happened during the day,' she said.
‘I told him I was assaulted live on camera and that I was definitely going to file a criminal complaint. I said I had recorded evidence.'
Fears over the security at the festival prompted police to double the number of officers on patrol to more than 2,000 in an effort to reassure the public
Fears over the security at the festival prompted police to double the number of officers on patrol to more than 2,000 in an effort to reassure the public
Despite the increased police presence at the festival, 81 people were arrested at the carnival. Despite the increased police presence at the festival, 81 people were arrested at the carnival
Police are now investigating the incident, alongside 22 sexual assaults reported on the first evening of the carnival. There was also 143 reported cases of bodily harm, 30 robberies, and a total of 181 arrests
(rnz)
