Police stationed outside the White House attacked a BBC cameraman on purpose as protests against police brutality and the death of George Floyd continued overnight.
Peter Murtaugh, who was with the BBC on Sunday night, caught the moment he was pushed on camera in a video that has now had more than one million views.
The 10-second video shows police lined-up about a block away from the White House, before at least a dozen officers charge without warning.
Mr Murtaugh, who was tackled to the ground, can be heard struggling as he attempts to steady the camera during the impact.
The officer’s riot shield can be seen advancing towards the BBC camera, before the image becomes blurred and flares are heard being fired in the background.
The BBC’s North American editor, Jon Sopel, said on Twitter afterwards: “Our brilliant cameraman Pete Murtaugh clearly targeted by the police/a policeman”.
BBC News North American correspondent, Aleem Maqbool, posted the video on Twitter on Monday morning after the incident.
He added that the attack preceded the 11pm curfew imposed upon Washington D.C. and other American cities last night.
He wrote on Twitter: “This was before curfew and our cameraman, clearly a member of the press, a block away from the White House this evening.”
It comes amid other unprecedented police attacks against both domestic and international press during unrest in several American cities.
Police were said to have shot photographer Linda Tirado in Minneapolis on Friday as she screamed “I’m press, I’m press”, in an unprovoked attack that has left her with the potential loss of sight in one eye.
Another reporter who was covering demonstrations in Louisville, Kentucky, had police shoot pepper bullets at her live on air as she screamed: “I’m getting shot! I’m getting shot!”
Meanwhile, New York police on Sunday arrested and charged a British photographer covering protests despite identifying himself as press.
Other accounts from this weekend’s demonstrations have also show police attacking protestors without reason.
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