A camera operator for Telemadrid, a TV station from the autonomous community of Madrid, has been attacked this Wednesday afternoon at a demonstration called by unionist parties Cs and PP for "social harmony and non-violence". The man was covering the rally near the gates to Barcelona's Ciutadella park when a group surrounded him, pushing and verbally berating him. Early reports said he was confused for a journalist from TV3, the Catalan public broadcaster. Telemadrid have since tweeted that some demonstrators thought he had a yellow loop on his camera.
In the push and shove, a man rushed up from behind and punched him in the head. Meanwhile, his colleague tried to protect him and shouted for them to not hit him.
Those attending had earlier shouted anti-TV3 slogans. The incident started when a woman asked him where he was from. He replied he was from Madrid, but the woman shouted "you're lying! you're from here". The commotion started from there.
Translation (from Javi Gómez, Telemadrid's news director): We confirm that our camera operator has been attacked and was punched four times, because some of those present believed he had a yellow loop on his camera. Paradoxically, it was a demonstration to protest against an attack.