BBC wants security review after cameraman attacked at Trump rally
Washington : The British Broadcasting Corporation has asked the White House for a review of security arrangements after a BBC cameraman was assaulted at a Donald Trump rally.
BBC cameraman Ron Skeans was attacked by a Trump supporter yelling anti-media slogans during the US president's rally in El Paso, Texas, late Monday.
Skeans was unhurt and the man, who was wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat, was restrained by a blogger for the pro-Trump outlet Frontline America and removed from the media riser.
Paul Danahar, the BBC's Americas bureau editor, said in a tweet Tuesday that he had asked White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders for a "full review of security arrangements after last night's attack."
"Access into the media area was unsupervised," Danahar said.
"No one in law enforcement intervened before, during or after the attack."
Danahar dismissed a statement from the "Trump for President" campaign, which expressed appreciation for "the swift action from venue security and law enforcement officers."
"There was no swift action to prevent or interrupt the attack by any security agency," he said.
The White House Correspondents' Association condemned the attack.
"We are relieved that, this time, no one was seriously hurt," said WHCA president Olivier Knox.
"The president of the United States should make absolutely clear to his supporters that violence against reporters is unacceptable." BBC Washington correspondent Gary O'Donoghue, who was covering the El Paso event, said his cameraman was pushed and shoved by the unidentified assailant "after the president repeatedly goaded the crowd over supposed media bias."
He said the man attempted to smash the BBC camera.
"Happily, Ron is fine," O'Donoghue said.
Trump paused his remarks following the commotion in the crowd and -- pointing at the media -- asked "You alright? Everything OK?" He resumed his attacks on the press later in the speech, referring to the "totally dishonest media."
Trump frequently denounces the media as the "enemy of the people" and condemns critical reports about his administration as "fake news."
New York Times publisher AG Sulzberger urged Trump during an interview last month to tone down what he called his "potentially dangerous" rhetoric towards the press.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
