A journalist from Ici Pays basque was attacked on Friday night live by supporters of the Stade Aurillacois who were apparently unhappy with his enthusiasm following their club’s defeat (24-27) against Biarritz Olympique. Thomas Palmier, who was commentating on this Pro D2 rugby match at the Jean-Alric stadium in Aurillac, “was hit at least twice at the end of the match by the supporters behind,” explained Ttotte Darguy, director of Ici Pays basque. The journalist, brother of Grenoble fly-half Marc Palmier, lives in Aurillac and has filed a complaint with the police, according to Midi Olympique, another of his employers.
“Sit down, let me work”
In an audio excerpt of his live broadcast, the journalist can be heard exclaiming, a few seconds after a Biarritz try marking the end of the match: “The BO did it! What a match! (…) Do you want to hit me? But stop it, sit down, let me work. (…) Go home, don’t hit me like that.” In the studio, his colleague starts to worry: “It’s starting to get a bit heated on Aurillac’s side, we’ll take a short break to let everyone calm down a bit.”
In a statement, the management of the Ici network and Ici Pays Basque strongly condemned “these intolerable attacks” against the journalist who was “violently attacked.”
“The Unacceptable Facts”
The National Rugby League (LNR) also strongly condemned on Saturday “the aggression suffered by a journalist from Radio Ici Pays Basque,” denouncing “unacceptable facts.” “The LNR is launching an investigation to shed light on this incident and take appropriate action,” it emphasized in its statement.
On Friday night, the Stade Aurillacois also quickly expressed support for the assaulted journalist, promising to “do what they can to identify the culprits.”
