Danish TV Has Live Broadcast Shut Down in Qatar: ‘You’re Threatening Us’
Qatar #Qatar
A Danish TV reporter was shut down live on air as he reported from Doha, Qatar, ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
Rasmus Tantholdt of TV2 was speaking in the Gulf state’s capital as part of a live broadcast when he and his film crew were approached by security staff, who arrived in a golf buggy.
The situation quickly became tense as it appeared that reporting and filming from that spot was not welcome, with the security staff threatening to smash and destroy the camera.
The clip of the confrontation has gone viral on social media. Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy shared a statement with Newsweek after the incident to say the channel was “mistakenly interrupted”.
In the clip, Tantholdt is heard switching between Danish and English, as he looks to clarify what rules he had transgressed by filming in Qatar.
He says: “You have invited the whole world here. Why can’t we film? It is a public place.”
The TV reporter is seen showing his press accreditation on his phone before stating the crew’s permissions to film in the area.
A security guard claims that the camera will be destroyed unless filming is stopped straight away.
As the camera keeps rolling, the Danish TV crew show their permissions and accreditation again but face continued threats that their cameras would be destroyed by the security team.
Tantholdt then says: “You can break the camera. You want to break it? Go ahead. You’re threatening us by breaking the camera.”
In a statement, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy apologized to the reporter and the Danish broadcaster for the “mistake”.
It said: “Tournament organizers are aware of an incident where a Danish broadcast crew were mistakenly interrupted during a live broadcast in one of Qatar’s tourist destinations.
“Upon inspection of the crew’s valid tournament accreditation and filming permit, an apology was made to the broadcaster by on-site security before the crew resumed their activity.
“Tournament organizers have since spoken to the journalist and issued an advisory to all entities to respect the filming permits in place for the tournament.”
Speaking to Norwegian outlet NRK, Tantholdt confirmed that he had been given an apology by delegates in Qatar but warned other reporters: “I don’t think the message from the top in Qatar has reached all the security guards.”
Tantholdt said: “This is not a free and democratic country. My experience after visiting 110 countries in the world is: The more you have to hide, the more difficult it is to report from there.”
In November last year, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre described the treatment of reporters in the Gulf State as “unacceptable”.
“A free press is crucial to a functioning democracy,” he said.
The FIFA World Cup begins on Sunday when the hosts, Qatar, play Ecuador in the opening match.
The United States begin their World Cup campaign against Wales on Monday, November 21, at the Al Rayyan Stadium.
Do you have a tip on a sports story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the World Cup? Let us know via entertainment@newsweek.com.
Related Articles
Start your unlimited Newsweek trial