Support for the Black Lives Matter protests and the journalism community

Over the past week, protests have erupted across the United States and around the world to denounce racism and police violence after the death of George Floyd on 25 May 2020.

The World Press Photo Foundation stands in support of all communities around the world calling for a just and safe world to live in, the protestors on their right to protest, and journalists reporting on the protests. 

We support journalists around the world working to uphold the fundamental principles of press freedom, and we condemn the press freedom violations reported during the recent protests. The US Press Freedom Tracker reported over 100 press freedom violations since the protests started. According to the organization, from May 28-31, at least 19 reporters were arrested, 36 journalists reported being shot at by police with projectiles such as rubber bullets, and there have been at least 76 reported assaults. “To put some perspective on the unprecedented nature of the weekend's attacks on journalists: At US Press Tracker, we've documented 100-150 press freedom violations in the US per year, for the last 3 years,” they add.

Supporting freedom of expression, freedom of inquiry, and freedom of the press is a fundamental part of our work. We have compiled a list of resources, including press freedom reports, safety and ethical guidelines for journalists, as well as funds and petitions to support the black and brown communities and the Black Lives Matter movement. We would like to thank all the organizations who have put these together and invite you to share them with your network.