German photojournalist attacked

[Artisi]

It is a principle question: he is a journalist and apart from being opinionated he has done nothing wrong, as far as we know.

So why is it even remotely okay, to single him out and act against him.

It even doesn't matter if he had his face smashed to porridge or just a scratch on the chin: this is not right!

Period!

I do not even dare to imagine, what an uproar we would be having here, if the shoe was on the other foot!

I don't even care, if he was a journalist or just an Average Joe at the rally.

As long as you don't do anything...

was he singled out as you put it, or was he creating his own small ruckus and he came unstuck.

What ever the reason, with his background he was certainly pushing the point being there. And do you think that if he was diametrically opposite and at the red rally arguing, which he has apparently admitted to doing, he would have got off so lightly, I very much doubt it.

[Nickymaster]

It is a principle question: he is a journalist and apart from being opinionated he has done nothing wrong, as far as we know.

So why is it even remotely okay, to single him out and act against him.

It even doesn't matter if he had his face smashed to porridge or just a scratch on the chin: this is not right!

Period!

I do not even dare to imagine, what an uproar we would be having here, if the shoe was on the other foot!

I don't even care, if he was a journalist or just an Average Joe at the rally.

As long as you don't do anything...

IMO you forgot to add the word controversial here and there

[Dogmatix]

Quite easy to sum up, Nick, if you are a red supporter, to venture into camp of the side and do anything other than blend in is being stupid.

There's no evidence that he did anything to provoke protesters or Democrat MP into naming him from the stage. The only people who've claimed he was insulting protesters etc are those with clearly partisan interests. If there was an argument it seems to have stemmed from protest guards trying to prevent him taking pictures. Even if Nick was in the business of providing clearly partisan coverage to support a cause - which I don't believe he is - I still don't see why that should preclude him covering the protest. Would you support the red shirts if they decided coverage by one particular journalist (Thai or foreign, it's really irrelevant) was biased and decided to single him out from the stage in order to have him chased out? Don't want to answer for you, but I'm guessing you probably wouldn't be defending that.

Anyway, here's another article on this, with an interview with Nick:

“I know many of the leaders,” says Nostitz, “I know Abhisit too,” but as yet there has been no response to the incident, he adds. The only condemnation has come from FCCT, Thailand’s Voice TV, Pratachai. Thailand’s Journalist’s Association whose green arm band – that should protect journalists against violence – he was wearing at the time of the attack have also yet to condemn the attack Nostitz said.

“They all know me,” he says, referring to various politicians, “I just don’t understand the silence. On a human level this is very disappointing. These smear campaigns are damaging. What’s done has been done, but something also needs to be done to rectify it, if only for the safety of me and my family…the protest leadership has to do something.”

http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=2730

I am glad to see the FCCT has come out in support of one of its members and of foreign correspondents in general and would not have expected anything less. On the other hand Nostitz must be disappointed by the lack of public support from Focus Photo and Press Agency, the global news agency he is accredited to according to the FCCT's publicly available list of members. Its German headquarters and Bangkok office in Bangsue have maintained a puzzling silence in the face of a physical assault on one of their foreign correspondents doing his job. Prachathai and Phantongtae's Thailand Voice TV unfortunately carry little weight in this context with their known pro-Thaksin affiliations.

[Dogmatix]

*Deleted posts edited out*

DrDweeb has hit the nail on the head IMHO. Von Nostitz's well developed ego must have got the better of him and caused him to start believing his own protestations of impartiality, so that he thought he was invisible. He took his own risk going where he did and doing what he did and thankfully wasn't seriously injured.

Now his name and picture have been posted liberally around Facebook and Thai websites with copious hateful comments referring to him, for example, as an f***ing redshirt farang phoney journalist and nasty threats to sew up his eyes and lips and cut off his ears, or report him to Immigration for visa offences with the most outrageous comments scoring copious "likes". This and the violence at the rally site shouldn't happen to anyone. I feel really sorry for him and hope he will take more care of his own safety in future.

Journalists are always taking a risk going to cover any potentially hostitle situation. Does that mean they shouldn't do it? Also, whilst they might claim to be neutral, most reporters have their sympathies. They are human, after all. We're all prone to bias and prejudice, often to the point of delusion. And some of the worst are those who refuse to recognize their own bias and believe they see things from a clear eyed neutral position. But obviously journalists shouldn't let that interfere with their reporting of the facts.

There's no evidence that Nick has fabricated or left anything out of his account in order to sway readers to his political position. On the contrary, he's done the opposite, adding a lot detail other reporters have missed (perhaps because of their political sympathies, i.e. during Oct 2008). Anyway, that's by the by. I know I'm repeating myself once again, but fact is, even if Nick was partisan in his reporting, he still shouldn't be subjected to violence or a hate campaign.

I guess you agree with that, given your second paragraph, but you still seem to be intimating that the behaviour of those that are part of this campaign is somehow his responsibility. Anyway, I haven't seen these specific comments because I recently decided to take a break from Facebook. But none of this will shock those familiar with the yellow shirt FB group 'Social Sanction' which has been carrying out online hate campaigns against academic Somsak Jeamteerasakun, amongst others, for years now.

Even a few months back I was browsing an anti-government FB page (think it was "dislike yingluck for concentration citizen") and there was a thread about Aum Neko, the Thammasat student responsible for the anti-uniform campaign. I couldn't believe some of the nonsense some people were writing, much of it unbelievably hateful and vitriolic. I mean, I do accept that the internet can bring the worst out of people (especially when they're in group think mode), and some of those who write these comments might be perfectly decent, 'educated' people if you were to encounter them in real life. But that doesn't make it any better for those on the receiving end of their unnecessarily spiteful and threatening comments.

Of course it is up to journalists and their employers to decide what risks they are willing to take. If no one was prepared to take the risk, we would lack on the spot nformation from danger zones, whether objective or otherwise, but sadly there is long list of foreign correspondents covering wars and riots who have got the risk assessment wrong and paid for it with their lives.

Nobody should be subjected to hate campaigns and assigning responsibility for such anonymous group phenomena is not really possible. However, there is an undeniable connection with cause and effect here. You can only have control over the cause but once the effect has been established, whether fairly or not, you have to live with those consequences and take appropriate precautions.

I don't think Somsak and Aum Neko are relevant here because they are self-declared activists publicly taking views they knew would right or wrongly antagonise many in Thai society. We were talking about Nostitz and other journalists reporting the news.

[Dogmatix]

So, has Herr Nostitz filed libel and defamation suits against the protest organisers yet?

Wouldn't want the truth to get in the way of a good story now would we

Any photographic evidence of the next day or days following of Herr Nostitz facial injuries?

He was reported to have filed assault charges at the local police station after the event but there have been no details of any arrests, even though the police witnessed the assault themselves. No doubt defamation suits (or threats thereof) against the protest organisers and the Democrat Party will follow along with criminal libel and charges under the Computer Crimes Act against Blue Sky Channel TV and Facebook and the thousands of people clicking "like" on the hate messages about him there.

[GrantSmith]

Well ladies and gentlemen, the day you've all been waiting for is finally here! Herr Nostitz is BACK! With his all new "unbiased" account of what happend on that "fateful" Saturday night at Ramkhamhaeng!

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2013/12/10/ramkhamhaeng-a-view-from-inside-the-stadium/

Good to see all the usual suspects coming out and lavishing him with bro-love and bro-mance... Poetry in motion...

[newcomer71]

Well ladies and gentlemen, the day you've all been waiting for is finally here! Herr Nostitz is BACK! With his all new "unbiased" account of what happend on that "fateful" Saturday night at Ramkhamhaeng!

http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2013/12/10/ramkhamhaeng-a-view-from-inside-the-stadium/

Good to see all the usual suspects coming out and lavishing him with bro-love and bro-mance... Poetry in motion...

The real shame is that in a country like Thailand there are virtually no unbiased sources.

Both sides has their voices, but there is not a neutral voice helping us to understand how things went in real.

I still believe that the truth is always in the middle, no one of both sides are clean.

[GrantSmith]

Unfortunatley for Herr Nostitz, he attempts to present and portray himself (in vain, I might add) as an unbiased journalist. One can read his work prior to the events that happened at the PDRC protests late last month (which he delicately touches on and then abruptly changes tact) to see where his allegiances lie.

[newcomer71]

Unfortunatley for Herr Nostitz, he attempts to present and portray himself (in vain, I might add) as an unbiased journalist. One can read his work prior to the events that happened at the PDRC protests late last month (which he delicately touches on and then abruptly changes tact) to see where his allegiances lie.

Actually I knew he always claim to support Red Shirt cause, that sure doesn't make him an unbiased reporter.

[MAJIC]

I think 'Nikolaus Freiherr von Nostitz', (Nicks birth name) "a German photographer" was aware that his bias reporting was not appreciated by those who he opposed and that an incident like this was more likely than not. It is an incident of his own making and as a public personality he should solely shoulder the blame for exposing himself to this danger. He should be thankfull that he was slapped by relatedly civilised people, if he was reporting from Syria or Egypt I am sure he would never have got away with it so lightly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Nostitz This page was last modified on 25 November 2013 at 12:35.

Being a Journalist is very much a job that calls for complete impartiality.In this case,I believe his talents would have been better served on: another completely low key assignment!

[jayboy]

I think 'Nikolaus Freiherr von Nostitz', (Nicks birth name) "a German photographer" was aware that his bias reporting was not appreciated by those who he opposed and that an incident like this was more likely than not. It is an incident of his own making and as a public personality he should solely shoulder the blame for exposing himself to this danger. He should be thankfull that he was slapped by relatedly civilised people, if he was reporting from Syria or Egypt I am sure he would never have got away with it so lightly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Nostitz This page was last modified on 25 November 2013 at 12:35.

Being a Journalist is very much a job that calls for complete impartiality.In this case,I believe his talents would have been better served on: another completely low key assignment!

Nonsense.Many great journalists have reported from various political viewpoints - whether from the left or the right.George Orwell reporting from Spain during the civil war is a classic example where his sympathies were very much with one side.The key issue is whether the approach is honest or not, and in the case of Nick Nostitz his integrity and courage is not in doubt.Of course what really irks the haters is that he casts light on areas that they would prefer to see hidden.

What is particularly repellent is the snide endorsement or near endorsement of violence against a fine reporter.

[waza]

I think 'Nikolaus Freiherr von Nostitz', (Nicks birth name) "a German photographer" was aware that his bias reporting was not appreciated by those who he opposed and that an incident like this was more likely than not. It is an incident of his own making and as a public personality he should solely shoulder the blame for exposing himself to this danger. He should be thankfull that he was slapped by relatedly civilised people, if he was reporting from Syria or Egypt I am sure he would never have got away with it so lightly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Nostitz This page was last modified on 25 November 2013 at 12:35.

Being a Journalist is very much a job that calls for complete impartiality.In this case,I believe his talents would have been better served on: another completely low key assignment!

Nonsense.Many great journalists have reported from various political viewpoints - whether from the left or the right.George Orwell reporting from Spain during the civil war is a classic example where his sympathies were very much with one side.The key issue is whether the approach is honest or not, and in the case of Nick Nostitz his integrity and courage is not in doubt.Of course what really irks the haters is that he casts light on areas that they would prefer to see hidden.

What is particularly repellent is the snide endorsement or near endorsement of violence against a fine reporter.

lol, Your brave courageous photographer was bitch slapped for arguing with a guard, hardly in the same league as the brave reporters that were locked in their TV station which was then set alight by a baying mob of peaceful redshirt protestors. An incident that I cant recall Herr Nostitz reporting.

Edited December 24, 2013 by waza

[jayboy]

I think 'Nikolaus Freiherr von Nostitz', (Nicks birth name) "a German photographer" was aware that his bias reporting was not appreciated by those who he opposed and that an incident like this was more likely than not. It is an incident of his own making and as a public personality he should solely shoulder the blame for exposing himself to this danger. He should be thankfull that he was slapped by relatedly civilised people, if he was reporting from Syria or Egypt I am sure he would never have got away with it so lightly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Nostitz This page was last modified on 25 November 2013 at 12:35.

Being a Journalist is very much a job that calls for complete impartiality.In this case,I believe his talents would have been better served on: another completely low key assignment!

Nonsense.Many great journalists have reported from various political viewpoints - whether from the left or the right.George Orwell reporting from Spain during the civil war is a classic example where his sympathies were very much with one side.The key issue is whether the approach is honest or not, and in the case of Nick Nostitz his integrity and courage is not in doubt.Of course what really irks the haters is that he casts light on areas that they would prefer to see hidden.

What is particularly repellent is the snide endorsement or near endorsement of violence against a fine reporter.

lol, Your brave courageous photographer was bitch slapped for arguing with a guard, hardly in the same league as the brave reporters that were locked in their TV station which was then set alight by a baying mob of peaceful redshirt protestors. An incident that I cant recall Herr Nostitz reporting.

I have no idea what incident you are referring to nor do I know whether Nick was present.

In any event it is irrelevant and your ugly and crude language endorsing violence simply proves my point.Nick has been widely praised - to my certain knowledge both by Chris Baker and Jonathan Head.

Nick may be on the hate list now but the enemies of democracy in Thailand loathe all foreign media scrutiny.What happened to Nick could easily happen to others in the current climate.

[waza]

Being a Journalist is very much a job that calls for complete impartiality.In this case,I believe his talents would have been better served on: another completely low key assignment!

Nonsense.Many great journalists have reported from various political viewpoints - whether from the left or the right.George Orwell reporting from Spain during the civil war is a classic example where his sympathies were very much with one side.The key issue is whether the approach is honest or not, and in the case of Nick Nostitz his integrity and courage is not in doubt.Of course what really irks the haters is that he casts light on areas that they would prefer to see hidden.

What is particularly repellent is the snide endorsement or near endorsement of violence against a fine reporter.

lol, Your brave courageous photographer was bitch slapped for arguing with a guard, hardly in the same league as the brave reporters that were locked in their TV station which was then set alight by a baying mob of peaceful redshirt protestors. An incident that I cant recall Herr Nostitz reporting.

I have no idea what incident you are referring to nor do I know whether Nick was present.

In any event it is irrelevant and your ugly and crude language endorsing violence simply proves my point.Nick has been widely praised - to my certain knowledge both by Chris Baker and Jonathan Head.

Nick may be on the hate list now but the enemies of democracy in Thailand loathe all foreign media scrutiny.What happened to Nick could easily happen to others in the current climate.

"

Media becomes target in Thailand's ongoing political turmoil

Redshirt anti-government protesters turn their anger on local TV companies and newspapers as well as foreign journalists..........."Channel 3 needs urgent help from police, soldiers," news anchor Patcharasri Benjamas broadcast on the social networking website Twitter. As the building burned, executives were evacuated by helicopter and police rescued other staff.......They regarded the international press and broadcast organisations as the best avenue for spreading their message beyond Thailand. But this afternoon, with their cause lost, they turned on the media, threatening several photographers, particularly those shooting retreating redshirts looting and committing acts of arson. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/may/19/thailand-protests-media-attacks

You have no idea about these incidents because the brave Nick and the red press didn't report on these incidents.

PS: Nick isn't a journalist, hes a photographer.

Edited December 24, 2013 by waza

[philw]

I think 'Nikolaus Freiherr von Nostitz', (Nicks birth name) "a German photographer" was aware that his bias reporting was not appreciated by those who he opposed and that an incident like this was more likely than not. It is an incident of his own making and as a public personality he should solely shoulder the blame for exposing himself to this danger. He should be thankfull that he was slapped by relatedly civilised people, if he was reporting from Syria or Egypt I am sure he would never have got away with it so lightly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Nostitz This page was last modified on 25 November 2013 at 12:35.

Being a Journalist is very much a job that calls for complete impartiality.In this case,I believe his talents would have been better served on: another completely low key assignment!

Nonsense.Many great journalists have reported from various political viewpoints - whether from the left or the right.George Orwell reporting from Spain during the civil war is a classic example where his sympathies were very much with one side.The key issue is whether the approach is honest or not, and in the case of Nick Nostitz his integrity and courage is not in doubt.Of course what really irks the haters is that he casts light on areas that they would prefer to see hidden.

What is particularly repellent is the snide endorsement or near endorsement of violence against a fine reporter.

lol, Your brave courageous photographer was bitch slapped for arguing with a guard, hardly in the same league as the brave reporters that were locked in their TV station which was then set alight by a baying mob of peaceful redshirt protestors. An incident that I cant recall Herr Nostitz reporting.

Waza what ???

Commentator, participant, observer, intelligent poster or just a waza...????

What is " bitch slap", by the way, waza ???

[Genericnic]

I think 'Nikolaus Freiherr von Nostitz', (Nicks birth name) "a German photographer" was aware that his bias reporting was not appreciated by those who he opposed and that an incident like this was more likely than not. It is an incident of his own making and as a public personality he should solely shoulder the blame for exposing himself to this danger. He should be thankfull that he was slapped by relatedly civilised people, if he was reporting from Syria or Egypt I am sure he would never have got away with it so lightly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Nostitz This page was last modified on 25 November 2013 at 12:35.

Being a Journalist is very much a job that calls for complete impartiality.In this case,I believe his talents would have been better served on: another completely low key assignment!

Nonsense.Many great journalists have reported from various political viewpoints - whether from the left or the right.George Orwell reporting from Spain during the civil war is a classic example where his sympathies were very much with one side.The key issue is whether the approach is honest or not, and in the case of Nick Nostitz his integrity and courage is not in doubt.Of course what really irks the haters is that he casts light on areas that they would prefer to see hidden.

What is particularly repellent is the snide endorsement or near endorsement of violence against a fine reporter.

lol, Your brave courageous photographer was bitch slapped for arguing with a guard, hardly in the same league as the brave reporters that were locked in their TV station which was then set alight by a baying mob of peaceful redshirt protestors. An incident that I cant recall Herr Nostitz reporting.

Waza what ???

Commentator, participant, observer, intelligent poster or just a waza...????

What is " bitch slap", by the way, waza ???

B*tch slapped - http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Bitch+Slap

[citizen33]

This appears to be a sexist jibe from a keyboard warrior who wouldn't have the balls to tread where NN goes. One doesn't have to look far for the voices of intolerance and absolutism on TVF. Yuuk!

I think 'Nikolaus Freiherr von Nostitz', (Nicks birth name) "a German photographer" was aware that his bias reporting was not appreciated by those who he opposed and that an incident like this was more likely than not. It is an incident of his own making and as a public personality he should solely shoulder the blame for exposing himself to this danger. He should be thankfull that he was slapped by relatedly civilised people, if he was reporting from Syria or Egypt I am sure he would never have got away with it so lightly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Nostitz This page was last modified on 25 November 2013 at 12:35.

Being a Journalist is very much a job that calls for complete impartiality.In this case,I believe his talents would have been better served on: another completely low key assignment!

Nonsense.Many great journalists have reported from various political viewpoints - whether from the left or the right.George Orwell reporting from Spain during the civil war is a classic example where his sympathies were very much with one side.The key issue is whether the approach is honest or not, and in the case of Nick Nostitz his integrity and courage is not in doubt.Of course what really irks the haters is that he casts light on areas that they would prefer to see hidden.

What is particularly repellent is the snide endorsement or near endorsement of violence against a fine reporter.

lol, Your brave courageous photographer was bitch slapped for arguing with a guard, hardly in the same league as the brave reporters that were locked in their TV station which was then set alight by a baying mob of peaceful redshirt protestors. An incident that I cant recall Herr Nostitz reporting.

Waza what ???

Commentator, participant, observer, intelligent poster or just a waza...????

What is " bitch slap", by the way, waza ???

B*tch slapped - http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Bitch+Slap

[MAJIC]

I think 'Nikolaus Freiherr von Nostitz', (Nicks birth name) "a German photographer" was aware that his bias reporting was not appreciated by those who he opposed and that an incident like this was more likely than not. It is an incident of his own making and as a public personality he should solely shoulder the blame for exposing himself to this danger. He should be thankfull that he was slapped by relatedly civilised people, if he was reporting from Syria or Egypt I am sure he would never have got away with it so lightly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Nostitz This page was last modified on 25 November 2013 at 12:35.

Being a Journalist is very much a job that calls for complete impartiality.In this case,I believe his talents would have been better served on: another completely low key assignment!

Nonsense.Many great journalists have reported from various political viewpoints - whether from the left or the right.George Orwell reporting from Spain during the civil war is a classic example where his sympathies were very much with one side.The key issue is whether the approach is honest or not, and in the case of Nick Nostitz his integrity and courage is not in doubt.Of course what really irks the haters is that he casts light on areas that they would prefer to see hidden.

What is particularly repellent is the snide endorsement or near endorsement of violence against a fine reporter.

lol, Your brave courageous photographer was bitch slapped for arguing with a guard, hardly in the same league as the brave reporters that were locked in their TV station which was then set alight by a baying mob of peaceful redshirt protestors. An incident that I cant recall Herr Nostitz reporting.

@ jayboy Comparing George Orwell with Nick Nostitz is like comparing chalk with cheese. And I still maintain Journalists/Photographers, are there to observe and report news events,and not get involved in becoming the news.

NB George Orwell often submerged himself in the subject in order to gain material for his books. Such as "Down and out in London and Paris" in which he spent a year living with Tramps and taking on first hand their lifestyle!

[GrantSmith]

This appears to be a sexist jibe from a keyboard warrior who wouldn't have the balls to tread where NN goes. One doesn't have to look far for the voices of intolerance and absolutism on TVF. Yuuk

A sexist jibe? I can't wait for you to explain that pearl of wisdom.

I do hope khun thailiketoo finds his way to this thread... Would really put the stuffing in the turkey!

[jayboy]

@ jayboy Comparing George Orwell with Nick Nostitz is like comparing chalk with cheese. And I still maintain Journalists/Photographers, are there to observe and report news events,and not get involved in becoming the news.

NB George Orwell often submerged himself in the subject in order to gain material for his books. Such as "Down and out in London and Paris" in which he spent a year living with Tramps and taking on first hand their lifestyle!

I'm not comparing Nick with George Orwell.I'm making the point that a journalist can be committed or sympathetic to one side as long as he retains integrity and reports honestly.Another example would be the great American journalist Ed Morrow who reported from London during the Blitz.By some people on this forum's criteria he should have been even handed between the Nazis and the British.

Nick didn't want to be part of the story.He was attacked by Suthep's thugs.

[TVGerry]

@ jayboy Comparing George Orwell with Nick Nostitz is like comparing chalk with cheese. And I still maintain Journalists/Photographers, are there to observe and report news events,and not get involved in becoming the news.

NB George Orwell often submerged himself in the subject in order to gain material for his books. Such as "Down and out in London and Paris" in which he spent a year living with Tramps and taking on first hand their lifestyle!

I'm not comparing Nick with George Orwell.I'm making the point that a journalist can be committed or sympathetic to one side as long as he retains integrity and reports honestly.Another example would be the great American journalist Ed Morrow who reported from London during the Blitz.By some people on this forum's criteria he should have been even handed between the Nazis and the British.

Nick didn't want to be part of the story.He was attacked by Suthep's thugs.

Nostitz claimed he was assaulted for no reason while on the other side, he was said to have provoked the protestors into attacking him. You call the protestors 'thugs' but Nostitz may well be the provocateur here. He gets the attention and he gets the protestors to look bad. Not a bad trade for a few love taps on his face.

[jayboy]

@ jayboy Comparing George Orwell with Nick Nostitz is like comparing chalk with cheese. And I still maintain Journalists/Photographers, are there to observe and report news events,and not get involved in becoming the news.

NB George Orwell often submerged himself in the subject in order to gain material for his books. Such as "Down and out in London and Paris" in which he spent a year living with Tramps and taking on first hand their lifestyle!

I'm not comparing Nick with George Orwell.I'm making the point that a journalist can be committed or sympathetic to one side as long as he retains integrity and reports honestly.Another example would be the great American journalist Ed Morrow who reported from London during the Blitz.By some people on this forum's criteria he should have been even handed between the Nazis and the British.

Nick didn't want to be part of the story.He was attacked by Suthep's thugs.

Nostitz claimed he was assaulted for no reason while on the other side, he was said to have provoked the protestors into attacking him. You call the protestors 'thugs' but Nostitz may well be the provocateur here. He gets the attention and he gets the protestors to look bad. Not a bad trade for a few love taps on his face.

Grow up.

[TVGerry]

@ jayboy Comparing George Orwell with Nick Nostitz is like comparing chalk with cheese. And I still maintain Journalists/Photographers, are there to observe and report news events,and not get involved in becoming the news.

NB George Orwell often submerged himself in the subject in order to gain material for his books. Such as "Down and out in London and Paris" in which he spent a year living with Tramps and taking on first hand their lifestyle!

I'm not comparing Nick with George Orwell.I'm making the point that a journalist can be committed or sympathetic to one side as long as he retains integrity and reports honestly.Another example would be the great American journalist Ed Morrow who reported from London during the Blitz.By some people on this forum's criteria he should have been even handed between the Nazis and the British.

Nick didn't want to be part of the story.He was attacked by Suthep's thugs.

Nostitz claimed he was assaulted for no reason while on the other side, he was said to have provoked the protestors into attacking him. You call the protestors 'thugs' but Nostitz may well be the provocateur here. He gets the attention and he gets the protestors to look bad. Not a bad trade for a few love taps on his face.

Grow up.

Oooo how witty!

Can you absolutely 100% know what really happened there? All you're taking is Nostitz's word for it. Were you there to witness it?