In late May and early June, dozens of journalists, camera operators and photographers were the target of some of the worst physical and verbal attacks in recent years in Kosovo. With the return of violent protests in the north of the country, journalists found themselves between law enforcement and the protesters. KFOR soldiers from NATO weren’t the only group to face attacks from protesters. Journalists did too.

What exactly happened to journalists during violence in the north?

Before 7:00 a.m. on May 29, nine television stations with national coverage in Kosovo and many other news agencies sent teams of two or three people to Zvečan, Leposavić and Zubin Potok, the three Serb-majority municipalities where local Serbs started protesting on May 26. They were protesting against the newly elected Albanian mayors’ attempts to install themselves in the local municipality buildings. The mayors came to office in April local elections which had 3% voter turnout due to a Serb boycott.

The day passed peacefully in Leposavić and Zubin Potok, but in Zvečan the atmosphere was hostile and dangerous. In the ensuing violence 30 KFOR soldiers were injured as well as numerous Serb protestors.

Together with colleagues from Euronews Albania and Top Channel, I arrived in Zvečan at noon on May 29 to report on the tense situation. We parked our car, which had Albanian license plates, behind the municipality building. We did this assuming that the 50 or so KFOR soldiers 20 meters away would ensure that our car was not vandalized by the 10 young masked Serbs who were hurling insults at us from the second floor of another building.

However, within five minutes we were alarmed by video footage from other colleagues that showed that our car had been vandalized and its license plates had been ripped off. When we moved the car somewhere safer, bottles flew over our heads along with threats and calls to leave Zvečan. These threats came from masked people standing in front of the municipality building surrounded by KFOR. Dozens of journalists felt this hostile atmosphere. Other cars were sprayed with nationalist symbols, such as the four “Cs” meaning “Only Unity Saves the Serbs” and the symbol of Russian aggression against Ukraine, “Z.”

In the afternoon, when KFOR decided to intervene and disperse the protesters, journalists found themselves caught between the two sides. While the KFOR soldiers had equipment to protect themselves from stones and Molotov cocktails being thrown their way, the journalists had no protective equipment, not even simple tear gas masks.

A cafe between the protesters and law enforcement became a refuge for journalists to escape the violence that continued for almost an hour. Over 40 journalists took shelter inside it, most of us Albanians, but also a number of Serbs. As the situation calmed down, the Serb journalists left and suggested we leave with them. However, for our safety, most of us decided to stay. From the cafe’s windows we could see masked men continuing to attack KFOR.

We went out a number  times to ask KFOR to create a safe corridor for the teams to leave. They disregarded our safety and told us that we should use the road where the masked protesters were waiting.

After three hours inside the cafe, the owner accompanied me and about 30 other journalists to our cars. The walk was short, around five minutes, but the insults and curses from the people we passed made it uncomfortable.

One media worker entered the municipality building with the police escort and was trapped there until midnight, only to find their car vandalized in the town center the next day.

The intimidating atmosphere continued the next day on May 30, when the Kosovo Journalists Association (AJK) recorded eight attacks on media workers. After a few days the protests calmed down and attacks became rarer, but the environment for journalists remains unsafe.

There are a number of institutions that must take responsibility for this situation.

It is imperative that the Kosovo Police are more proactive in working with the AJK, media leaders and above all journalists on the ground to create a safe reporting environment. The police providing a perimeter for reporting in the terrain of each municipality would help journalists to do their job unhindered.

In a difficult situation, where KFOR said that there were criminal groups in Zvečan that injured 30 soldiers, KFOR ignored requests to protect the journalists, even though they had taken the responsibility to provide security in the three cities.

The attacks showed the urgent need for the government to provide security for journalists when reporting in such situations. There is also a need for training journalists’ to deal with the difficulties of reporting in dangerous environments.

This situation should also serve as a lesson for the media to implement measures that would make reporting on the ground safer. First, it is imperative that teams visibly identify themselves as journalists at all times. Second, the vandalizing and burning of so many cars that were used by media employees has shown that more discreet travel, such as using cars without overtly visible logos, is preferable. Traveling by local taxi is one way to increase safety.

Where possible, newsrooms should send teams in which at least one of the members has experience and knows the terrain in the northern municipalities. Sending teams that are not familiar with the north into a violent protest puts them at serious risk. While the AJK is working to secure donations of protective equipment for journalists, it is the responsibility of newsrooms to provide teams with basic necessary equipment, including masks and high-visibility vests, which read “PRESS.”

One positive to come out of all this was the evidence of solidarity among journalists from competing news agencies. Media outlets left not just the competition behind, but even ethnic divisions, in order to support each other and help coordinate professionally in a difficult situation.

Feature Image: Xhemajl Rexha.