While covering the protest by female students of the University of Papua New Guinea today, media personnel were attacked by a group of male students.
The rowdy group stated they did not want the media to report on an issue, that was an internal matter.
Media personnel were made aware of the protest that was to take place on campus. They showed up to capture what the female student protesters wanted to address, and that was continuous incidents of sexual and physical harassment by certain male students.
After the female students had marched from the Games Village and into the University’s forum square, a group of rowdy male students entered the forum square and charged angrily at journalists, cameramen and photographers, demanding that they leave.
Members of the Premier University Council were present, but were outnumbered to contain the situation as it escalated.
The frustrated male students said the media did not need to be there to cover an issue that could be solved internally.
Media personnel managed to get out of the situation unharmed.
The PNG Media Council is expected to release a statement regarding the attack.