The El Paso District Attorney’s office has not yet not decided to press charges against the belligerent Trump supporter who apparently shoved several news crews and “violently pushed” a BBC cameraman during the president’s Monday evening rally near the border.
In video captured of the incident, the screaming Trump supporter, wearing a red Make America Great Again hat, shoved BBC cameraman Ron Skeans off-balance before being restrained and removed by security, while screaming “Fuck the media.”
“We have not reviewed any material from law enforcement for charges at this time,” a district attorney spokesperson said on Tuesday. "No charges will be filed until we do."
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Trump supporters near the attack can be heard chanting to leave the man alone, who has not been identified by the British news organization or the El Paso District attorney’s office.
“The crowd had been whipped up into a frenzy against the media by Trump and other speakers all night,” reported BBC Washington editor Eleanor Montague, who was also in the crowd.
BBC Washington correspondent Gary O’Donoghue, who was with Skeans during the rally, reported that the unidentified man jumped onto the media platform and “tried to smash our camera.”
Skeans told BBC News that he did not see the man in the crowd coming at him, but felt a “very hard shove” that almost knocked him down while he was filming the president’s rally speech.
“I didn’t know what was going on,” he said, as suggested by video that appeared to be from his camera, which fell to the ground during the attack.
Following the incident, the BBC requested White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders perform a “review of security arrangements for the media attending the president's rallies.”
“It is clearly unacceptable for any of our staff to be attacked for doing their job,” BBC spokeswoman Charlotte Morgan told The Daily Beast on Tuesday, adding that Skeans is “fine.”
Morgan also confirmed that Trump could see the incident from the stage. “The president could see the incident and checked with us that all was OK,” she said.
The White House responded to the incident Tuesday afternoon, condemning the “act of violence” on members of the media.
“President Trump condemns all acts of violence against any individual or group of people—including members of the press,” Sanders said in a statement Tuesday. “We ask that anyone attending an event do so in a peaceful and respectful manner.”
Correction: This article has been updated regarding information from the District Attorney's office regarding the status on possible charges.
