Why Are You Shooting at Me? CNN’s Larry Madowo Escapes Targeted Attack(Video)
Journalists are facing unprecedented dangers. As protests erupt across the streets, those charged with documenting the unrest are finding themselves targeted, both figuratively and literally.
The dramatic scenes unfolding in Nairobi and other urban centers extend beyond mere political upheaval; they reveal a troubling narrative of media suppression through aggressive tactics.
CNN’s International Correspondent Larry Madowo, a well-known figure in Kenya, vividly illustrated this grim reality on Thursday.
While reporting from the epicenter of the protests in Nairobi’s Central Business District, Madowo encountered a shocking and frightening situation. A police officer positioned atop a pickup truck at the Wabera Street and Kenyatta Avenue junction, launched tear gas canisters straight at him.
“Ah… that was aimed directly at me. He’s aiming directly at me. He’s aiming directly at me,” Madowo exclaimed moments after a canister narrowly missed his head.
He continued, “He’s shooting directly at me. Why’re you shooting at me? Why are you shooting at me? Why are you shooting at me?”
The repeated cries of “Why are you shooting at me?” from Madowo, filled with pain and astonishment, were captured on video and broadcast on CNN, highlighting the severe conditions faced by journalists on the ground.
Madowo wasn’t the only one enduring such brutality. Citizen TV’s political reporter Stephen Letoo also choked on tear gas while trying to document the chaos in Nairobi’s Central Business District.
“How police today have turned to harm journalists at the CBD is unacceptable,” Letoo declared, reflecting the frustration of many who witnessed his struggle to stay composed.
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The violence against journalists has become alarmingly common, almost routine, underscoring the dangers inherent in reporting the truth amidst turmoil.
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Even after a nationwide protest by journalists last month demanding an end to the harassment of those covering the pro-reform demonstrations, conditions have seemingly deteriorated.
A particularly alarming incident involved a police officer, captured on video, physically assaulting a journalist outside Nation Centre. Despite attempts by colleagues to intervene, the officer continued his aggression, forcing another journalist to kneel and beg for mercy.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has been diligently tracking the situation, documenting seven weeks of violence and threats against Kenyan journalists.
RSF’s Head of the Investigation Desk, Arnaud Froger, has denounced the brutality, calling it “total impunity.” Froger highlighted the intentional nature of the assaults, citing the case of journalist Catherine Wanjeri Kariuki, who was shot in the leg by a police officer.
The distressing images of her injured and bleeding on the ground emphasize the dangerous environment in which journalists operate.
“The authorities’ failure to identify the perpetrators – even when their violent acts are recorded on film – represents a brazen disregard for justice,” Froger stated. “We have reached out to the Kenyan police force, demanding a thorough investigation into six cases of violence against journalists, the public release of findings, and appropriate punishment for those responsible.”
Why Are You Shooting at Me? CNN’s Larry Madowo Escapes Targeted Attack(Video)
