Journalist gets forcibly removed from US Secretary of State`s press conference
Date
1/20/2025 6:51:42 AM
(MENAFN) A journalist was forcibly removed from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s final press conference on Thursday after attempting to ask questions about the Gaza ceasefire. Sam Husseini, a reporter known for covering Middle East issues, challenged Blinken on his personal reaction to the ceasefire and reminded him of genocide allegations against Israel from international organizations. Blinken, however, told journalists to “respect the process” and that he would answer questions later.
As Husseini pressed on, security personnel from the diplomatic Security Service (DSS) approached him, and he was handcuffed and escorted out of the room. Husseini protested, shouting questions about the Gaza situation and accusing Blinken of avoiding the issues. He also attempted to ask about the controversial "Hannibal Directive" and the US’s knowledge of Israeli military actions.
Husseini later criticized the excessive force used during the incident and stated that the questions he posed were serious and had been ignored by the State Department. He also wanted to raise questions about Blinken's connection to Jeffrey Epstein, Israeli nuclear weapons, and whether the Geneva Conventions applied to Gaza.
In another part of the briefing, Grayzone editor Max Blumenthal confronted Blinken, accusing him of associating Judaism with fascism and of being complicit in genocide. Blumenthal’s protests were also met with removal by State Department staff.
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