WASHINGTON, Oct. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Following is a statement from Eileen O’Reilly, president of the National Press Club, and Gil Klein, president of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, on Shane Jason Woods, the first Jan. 6 insurrectionist to be charged with assaulting a member of the news media.

“The court’s sentencing of Shane Jason Woods is a good reminder to the public and members of Congress that news media were assaulted, intimidated, and harassed on Jan. 6, 2021, alongside Capitol Police. Their equipment was destroyed, they were threatened with murder, rape, and assault. It was a tragic day for all those whose workplace is the Capitol, including journalists.

Woods, armed with a knife, took a running start and tackled a Reuters cameraman during the Jan. 6 insurrection, prosecutors said. He then assaulted and injured a female Capitol Police officer. It is unknown what injuries the Reuters employee sustained. Woods received a four-year sentence.

No person reporting for work should fear for their safety nor their lives. In the nation’s capital and beyond, journalists face unnecessary hostility for simply doing their jobs. The court’s sentencing shows that hostility comes with consequences.”

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. With 3,000 members representing nearly every major news organization, the Club is a leading voice for press freedom worldwide.

The National Press Club Journalism Institute supports a more participatory democracy through a free and independent press. The Institute is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club.

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 for the National Press Club

SOURCE National Press Club