Danish reporter REFUSES to remove OneLove armband when purchased to by Qatari official

A Danish reporter refused to take out his ‘OneLove’ anti-discrimination armband forward of his reside Tv report when a Qatari official requested him to. 

Jon Pagh, a journalist for Danish broadcaster Television2, stood in defiance in opposition to the formal and refused to adhere to his order to eliminate the anti-discrimination and LGBT rights image from his arm. 

Pagh was receiving all set to do a Tv set report about Denmark’s World Cup match in opposition to Tunisia when the Qatari official approached him and instructed him to clear away the armband – but the Danish reporter refused.

The armbands have been considered as a symbolic protest in opposition to legislation in Planet Cup host Qatar, where by homosexuality is illegal. 

Pagh’s refusal to get rid of the rainbow-themed armband arrived days just after yet another Danish journalist from Tv2, Rasmus Tantholdt, was pressured off-air immediately after Qatari stability workers threatened to wipe out his digicam if he did not halt filming. 

And now, in the most recent example of Qatari officials cracking down on the media and all those who use the OneLove armband, Pagh was ordered to clear away the image from his arm in advance of starting up a Television report.

In an exchange that was filmed by Television2 movie crew, Pagh explained to the official: ‘I realize that you’re telling me that, but I are unable to choose it off.’ 

Pagh, reaching for his OneLove armband, requested: ‘Why is this not allowed?’ 

The formal then explained a thing to Pagh, but it is inaudible for the reason that he has his hand about his mouth.

Pagh responded: ‘It’s mainly because of the colors? But this just states Just one Really like.’

The Qatari formal, turning out to be agitating, then advised the Television set crew to prevent filming in advance of thrusting his hand above the digicam.

A defiant Pagh continued: ‘It just says a single love. It is really respecting every person. Appear, I respect that you happen to be telling me this.’ 

The Qatari formal then walked off, leaving Pagh hunting at the camera with incredulity.

Denmark’s football group was also preparing to dress in the ‘One Love’ anti-discrimination armband along with other European teams such as England and Wales in advance of the marketing campaign was dropped when FIFA threatened to hand out yellow playing cards.

But in an act of defiance, former Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, who is now chair of the Danish football federation’s governance and advancement committee, wore a coat with rainbow coloured sleeves while viewing Denmark’s match from Tunisia from inside the stadium. 

Denmark has been a single of the most outspoken critics of the tournament in Qatar and through the pre-match warmup its gamers wore all black prolonged-sleeve shirts around their crimson video game jerseys to mourn migrant employees who died creating infrastructure for the Earth Cup.

Qatar has been greatly criticised and scrutinised above human legal rights violations and its attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community because it was handed the rights to the 2022 Entire world Cup 12 many years back.

Previous week, Qatar faced even further scrutiny following it emerged that Qatari officers had threated a Danish reporter even though stay on air. 

Reporting from Qatar times ahead of the opening match of the FIFA Environment Cup, Television2 reporter Rasmus Tantholdt was speaking as portion of a are living broadcast when he was approached by safety team that had appeared on a golf buggy.

It quickly turned clear that he was not welcome to film and he was speedily threatened with getting his digital camera smashed and destroyed.

The clip, which has gone viral throughout social media, showed Tantholdt switching to English to question for clarifications on where he was allegedly misconstruing any policies on filming in Qatar.

‘You have invited the complete environment right here. Why won’t be able to we film? It is a general public place,’ he stated. 

He swiftly offered his press accreditation on his cellphone, reaffirming their permissions to film but as just one guy grapples with the lens of the digital camera, a protection guard claims the digital camera will be ruined if they do not stop filming.

The Danes display their push accreditation and say they have permission to film. Then the guards abide by up with a danger. If they never halt filming, they will destroy the digital camera.

‘You can break the digicam,’ he added. ‘You want to break it? Go ahead. You happen to be threatening us by breaking the digital camera.’

Talking from Qatar to Norwegian outlet NRK, Tantholdt confirmed he experienced because been presented an apology by delegates in Qatar but the point he was stopped during a dwell broadcast raises a selection of problems for him.

‘I don’t consider the concept from the best in Qatar has achieved all the protection guards,’ he was quoted as stating. 

‘Therefore, one particular can argue that there are some who have misunderstood the situation, but at the exact same time it tells a great deal about what it is like in Qatar. There it is that you can be attacked and threatened when you report as a no cost media.’

‘This is not a totally free and democratic nation,’ he added. ‘My practical experience right after traveling to 110 international locations in the earth is: The much more you have to conceal, the far more difficult it is to report from there.’

It is also not the initially time reporters have experienced concerns striving to report freely and brazenly in Qatar. 

Norwegian outlet NRK endured their have challenges when reporting from Qatar last calendar year.

Two of their journalists, Halvor Ekeland and Lokman Ghorbani, ended up arrested and subsequently were imprisoned in Qatar around claims that the pair experienced been filming on non-public land.

They were held for all-around 30 hrs before they have been launched and sent back to Norway.

Back in November very last yr, Norwegian Primary Minister Jonas Gahr Støre explained the therapy of reporters in the Gulf Condition as ‘unacceptable’. 

‘A absolutely free push is essential to a operating democracy,’ he extra. 

It appears there are still difficulties for reporters just times out from the start off of the event. 

American writer Grant Wahl experienced his own operate-in with safety staff possessing been explained to to delete a photograph he had taken in the media centre.

Detailing the story on his Twitter account, Wahl wrote: ‘I took a photo of the Qatar Planet Cup slogan on the wall of the media center now – and a safety guard arrived around and demanded that I delete it from my cellphone. Is that how this Globe Cup is likely to operate?’

He was informed that a ‘picture is not allowed’ in advance of he protested that he was basically using a picture. 

‘Kindly delete it, sir,’ came the reply.