'Was Surrounded By Khalistanis, They Behaved Like Thugs...': Canadian Journalist Mocha Bezirgan Recounts Physical Assault

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Canadian investigative journalist Mocha Bezirgan on Sunday said that he was physically assaulted by Khalistanis in Vancouver, where he was“surrounded and threatened”.

Speaking to ANI, Bezirgan said,“It just happened 2 hours ago and I am still shaking. I was surrounded by multiple Khalistanis who acted like thugs. They surrounded me, threatened me, and got physical with me, and they grabbed my phone out of my hand.”

Bezirgan, an independent journalist, was in Vancouver to cover a rally by Khalistanis when the assault took place.

Bezirgan shares ordeal

“This was done by an individual who has been harassing me for a long time online using dehumanising language against me. I have been covering Khalistan protests in Canada, UK, US, New Zealand,” Bezirgan added.

“My only goal is to do independent journalism and record and report what's going on and because I'm editorially independent, this frustrates some people. They want to influence me, they want to buy me. He is not even a Canadian citizen. He is from the UK. I was just there reporting on the event. Khalistanis gathered to honour their so-called martyrs, including the assassins of Indira Gandhi ,” ANI quoted him as saying.

'Had nowhere to go'

Elaborating further, Bezirgan said that the people who surrounded him turned their faces away as soon as he started recording.“One individual came up to me and started asking me questions. He was very close to my face. Then, all of a sudden, I had 2-3 people surrounding me with the same physical closeness, like I had nowhere to go.”

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Sensing that a physical altercation may break out, Bezirgan said he began recording the incident.“I was recording secretly from my main camera because I felt that something physical was about to happen. I started recording from my phone as well.”

“As soon as I started recording, they turned their faces away, but this one individual kept walking towards me, and then eventually he grabbed my phone out of my hand for a moment. It stopped my recording, and when I turned back on, the police were engaging with him and telling him to stop his harassing behaviour,” the Canadian journalist added.

“I have filed police reports about this specific individual before for his harassment, and him being allowed to walk free is a big disappointment. I think he should be deported back to the UK,” he said.

Bezirgan also said that the individual continued following him throughout the parade.“He continued following me throughout the parade...He followed me to the train station, and that's how I departed from the area,” he added.

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