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Migrant-kicking camerawoman apologizes

by 7 Comments

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Sorry she did it or sorry she got caught?

Petra Laszlo, the Hungarian camerawoman who was filmed tripping and kicking migrants, apologized for her actions.

“I’m not heartless, racist children-kicking camerawoman”, she said, stating that she was driven by fear, adding that she does not deserve the “political witch hunt” against her.

Laszlo’s violent behavior made headlines worldwide and made her a symbol of the xenophobic response to Europe’s migrant crisis. Following the widespread condemnation of her actions she was fired from her job and an official police investigation has been launched.

The dismissed camerawoman began her letter, published in the conservative daily newspaper Magyar Nemzet, by apologizing for what she had done. She then went on to explain that she got scared when the migrants broke through a police cordon and came running in her direction.

“Something snapped in me”, Laszlo said. “I did not see a camera in my hand, who or who was coming towards me, I just thought that I was attacked and I have to protect myself. It’s hard to make good decisions at a time when people are in a panic”.

It is hard to understand how a person could react in such a way, but considering that several Eastern and Central European heads of state have spoken against the migrants, in addition to her working for what Associated Press called an “ultranationalist online TV channel” and is associated with Hungary’s far-right party Jobbik, it is not all that surprising.

“I’m not a heartless, racist, children-kicking camerawoman,” she concluded. “I do not deserve the political witch hunts against me, nor the smears or often the death threats. I’m just a woman, and now an unemployed mother of small children, who made a bad decision in a situation of panic. I am truly sorry.”

For those who missed it, the video below shows migrants running from police and Laszlo tripping one of them who was carrying a child. Another video showing her kicking a young boy and girl has been removed from YouTube.

[via The Washington Post]

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About Liron Samuels

Liron Samuels is a wildlife and commercial photographer based in Israel.

When he isn't waking up at 4am to take photos of nature, he stays awake until 4am taking photos of the night skies or time lapses.

You can see more of his work on his website or follow him on Facebook.

  • Igor Farago

    Yes, you are, and yes, you do.

  • stewart norton

    Wheres the apology..i cant seem to see it?

  • What?

  • F*ck her. ?

  • Short version: “I am sorry, that I got caught and fired”

  • So she fucked up its a human condition let’s move on.

  • Frank Nazario

    She is obviously trying to create turmoil by tripping the fleeing migrants in order to compose more dramatic images of people struggling in the floor or being trampled… she deserves not only a carreer ending post… but criminal prosecution also.. that is the lowest grade of photo-video journalism I have ever seen.
    This woman is not a reporter or photo journalist it is an out right despot human being.

    I gag at this type of behavior specially from a “professional” photographer…

    You should have thought about your children as you say in your apology before trying to trip parents carrying and fleeing from a real life threatening situation with theirs …”

    Death threats is stretching it a little … making sure you NEVER touch a camera again is enough for us… do us a favor go work at a bar or bakery… we dont need photograhers like you in the field smearing our profession, we have enough stress feeding our families as it is.

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