The National Union of Journalists has condemned an alleged gang attack on a Belfast Telegraph journalist.
Reporter Adrian Rutherford was attacked and had his phone stolen by a masked gang while covering Loyalist protests on Monday night, according to the NUJ.
It was the latest in a series of attacks on journalists in Northern Ireland, according to secretary Séamus Dooley.
He said this was a “worrying development” and described attacks on reporters and photographers as an “attack on democracy”.
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“No one disputes the right of citizens of groups to engage in legitimate protests but recent days have been marked by unacceptable behaviour which seeks to intimidate and terrorise innocent people going about their work in the public interest,” he said.
“I would appeal to all those in positions of influence to unite against this type of behaviour and to work towards creating a safe environment for all communities."
Earlier this week a pipe bomb discovered at the family home of a press photographer Mark Pearce.
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