LEGISPOOL condemns attack on journalist Blyden, demands probe

Published: February 19, 2025

Capitol Hill –The Leadership of the Legislative Press Pool (LEGISPOOL) has condemned in the strongest terms the assault on journalist S. Winston Blyden of Bana FM by an Executive Protection Service (EPS) officer assigned to Majority Bloc-declared Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon.

The incident occurred on Tuesday while Blyden was covering a session of Embattled Speaker J. Fonati Koffa at the House of Representatives. Journalist Blyden recounted that Representative Thomas Goshua of Grand Bassa County, District #5, informed him of an altercation involving the forced removal of Representative Yekeh Y. Kolubah’s vehicle. According to Blyden, Speaker Koon had ordered the vehicle’s removal, claiming it was parked in the designated space for the Speaker of the House.

As accredited journalists arrived at the scene to cover the unfolding event, Blyden was confronted by an EPS officer who aggressively approached him. The altercation escalated when the officer demanded that Blyden stop livestreaming the event on his media outlet’s online platform. The journalist’s phone, a Camon 19, was damaged during the encounter.

Attack on Press Freedom

In a statement released shortly after the incident, LEGISPOOL denounced the actions of the EPS officer as an attack on press freedom. The organization stressed that no security officer has the right to obstruct a journalist from covering public events, especially when dealing with contentious issues such as the removal of Rep. Kolubah’s vehicle.

“The unprofessional behavior displayed by the EPS agent is in direct violation of the rights of journalists to freely report and cover public matters without fear of reprisal or intimidation,” said LEGISPOOL. The press body called on the Executive Protection Service to immediately launch an impartial investigation into the assault, ensure appropriate justice for Journalist Blyden, and address the damage to his equipment.

Call for Accountability

The LEGISPOOL leadership issued a stern warning to all state security officers, especially those assigned to lawmakers, to respect the rights of journalists. “This deliberate attempt to intimidate journalists at the Capitol Building must not go unchallenged. It is a violation of the principles of press freedom, and such conduct must be condemned by every citizen,” the statement read.

The organization made it clear that it would pursue legal action if similar incidents occur again. Despite the harassment, LEGISPOOL urged its members to remain steadfast in their commitment to their journalistic duties, undeterred by intimidation.