AFP "is determined to defend the exercise of the profession of journalist in the field and will file a complaint on Monday", declared Fabrice Fries.
The press agency will lodge a complaint with the public prosecutor on behalf of the two journalists attacked for "intentional violence in a meeting" and "death threats" and on his behalf for "obstructing freedom of expression".
"AFP denounces the trivialization of attacks, verbal and now physical, against its teams and is concerned about the new level of violence reached," added Mr. Fries.
Two image reporters (JRI) from AFP, as well as two close protection agents accompanying them, were violently attacked while covering the anti-vaccination pass rally organized in Paris by the Les Patriotes movement of the pro-Frexit presidential candidate Florian Philippot.
At the call of a hooded individual with a megaphone, at least fifty people, identified as far-right by journalists, tried to attack the AFP videographer.
The protection agents intervened, allowing the two JRIs to flee.
The security guards were then beaten, in particular with truncheons, while they were protecting the journalist, who was overtaken by around twenty demonstrators.
They were then threatened with death and one of the security guards received a bottle on the head, splitting his scalp.
The company that employs the two agents will also file a complaint on its side.
"The attack on an AFP team and the death threats against it testify to a worrying degree of violence. Those who perpetrated them must be prosecuted and sentenced. Justice must demonstrate its ability to punish the perpetrators of such acts", reacted on Twitter Christophe Deloire, number one of Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
This is the second attack on an AFP team covering protests against the health pass.
In July 2021, two JRIs had received spitting and insults during a demonstration organized by Mr. Philippot.
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