RT reporter Peter Oliver injured by rubber bullet while covering Yellow Vest protests in Paris
Peter Oliver, a correspondent for RT, has been hit by a rubber bullet while covering the Yellow Vest protests in Paris. Twelve RT journalists have been injured over the course of three weeks while covering the protests in France.
It comes as the French capital continues to endure its third weekend of violent protests, with RT France correspondent Lucas Leger also hit by a grenade fragment to the face on Saturday. He says the projectile came from police. Legar's colleague was also injured.
Oliver was hit in the leg. While his boot seemingly took most of the hit, his leg has swollen and he has sought medical assistance.
“I was shot in the ankle with [a rubber bullet]. Thankfully, my boot bore the brunt of that, but still, I can tell you, they do leave a mark,” he said.
The three reporters are among scores of people who have been reported injured on Saturday. An additional 260 people have been arrested.
RT’s Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan weighed in on the heavy toll that the Yellow Vest protests have taken on the channel’s reporters.
Over the course of three weeks, "twelve RT reporters were injured while covering the protests in France. Rubber bullets, stones, tear gas. Twelve of our journalists already! How about that, Moscow riot police?” Simonyan said on her Telegram channel.
The scene from the 'City of Lights' is anything but romantic, with images showing protesters hurling firecrackers and setting vehicles alight. Police have responded by deploying tear gas and water cannon, with some videos showing officers using their batons on protesters.
Protests are also taking place in other cities across France, with an image from Toulouse showing a burning barricade and a photo from Charleville-Mezieres showing tires burning in the street.
The Yellow Vest protests are in response to fuel price hikes imposed by French President Emmanuel Macron. The increases are part of the government's efforts to reduce emissions causing global warming.
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