MONTREAL -- Journal de Montreal Journalist Michael Nguyen was allegedly beaten by Montreal pedophile Christophe Villeret in the Montreal courthouse on Wednesday.
Nguyen was covering the hearing for Christophe Villeret, who pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual interference and invitation to sexual touching against a child under the age of 16 last year. When Villeret exited the courtroom, he reportedly passed Nguyen and other reporters waiting in the designated media area.
“He approached the reporter and kicked him hard in the leg. The immediate intervention of the special constables put an end to the event,” said Marie-Ève Martel, vice-president of the Fédération professionnelle des journalistes du Québec (FPJQ).
“That's not what's going to stop me from doing my job,” said Nguyen, who has filed a complaint against Villeret with police.
Nguyen is the president of the FPJQ, a prominent journalism association in Quebec. The federation has condemned the alleged attack.
In a press release, the FPJQ reiterated that it is unacceptable for anyone to physically attack a journalist.
The federation says several attacks against journalists have been reported in recent months, and that others have been victims of harassment or intimidation while “they were doing their job.”
“This is wrongdoing,” read the release, “which directly attacks media rights and freedom of expression.”
-- This report form the Canadian Press was first published on Nov. 5, 2020.
