During a public demonstration in Port Harcourt, security forces intervened forcefully, leading to significant confrontations and reports of violence against both protesters and journalists. The incident involved disputes over the approved location for the protest, culminating in security personnel deploying teargas indiscriminately against demonstrators as they marched.
This intervention notably impacted media personnel covering the event. There were credible accounts of journalists being physically assaulted, tear-gassed, and temporarily detained by police. Furthermore, actions were taken to suppress media coverage, including the reported seizure of camera equipment and the deletion of recorded footage documenting the confrontation between protesters and police.
Protesters also experienced direct force, resulting in injuries that required medical treatment, such as a prominent activist associated with the Take-It-Back movement being struck by a teargas canister and subsequently hospitalized. These events highlight tensions surrounding public assemblies and raise concerns regarding the conduct of security agencies towards citizens exercising their right to protest and the press corps reporting on such events.
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