Other legal threats include pressure on journalistic sources and abusive lawsuits.
Spain follows a trend monitored in several other European countries regarding the safety of journalists during demonstrations, which is becoming an increasingly risky place for media professionals on assignment. With six alerts, they are the main context for physical assaults, threat to professional equipment, and insults. Physical assaults included a protester punching a journalist in the face, journalists hit with batons by riot police, and shot at point blank range with non-lethal detonating ammunition. During a protest, journalists’ equipment was damaged, with black paint sprayed on one of the camera lenses to prevent them from continuing to record. In February, the newsroom and office building of El Periodico de Catalunya was damaged by protesters who smashed the windows and painted the doors, while shouting anti-media slogans. Finally, Sonia Lopez , Marta Madonado , and a reporting crew for La Sexta TV were insulted and harassed while covering anti-mask and anti...