Journalists say they were attacked, abused by Germany fans in France

Brazilian television station Bandeirantes’ journalists were slapped, kicked and targeted with racial slurs by Germany’s fans during the Euro football championship in Paris.

Brazilian television station Bandeirantes’ journalists were slapped, kicked and targeted with racial slurs by Germany’s fans during the Euro football championship in Paris.

(Representative image) German fans hold flags during the Euro 2016 Group C football match between Germany and Ukraine at the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve d'Ascq. (AP Photo)

Two Brazilian journalists have claimed they were attacked and racially abused on Thursday. Cameraman Fernando de Henrique Oliveira said he was slapped and his colleague Sonia Blota was kicked while carrying out their duties for the TV station, reports Brazilian newspaper Estadao.

The incident occurred in front of the Gare du Nord train station, where transport to the Stade de France is available.

“A guy accompanied by a group of about 50 fans came and cried out, ‘get out, n******,” Oliveira said,

“I asked him not to hit Blota and when we were leaving I heard again, get out, n******’ and took a slap in the face. The pain is not physical, it is moral and psychological. It seems that for the rest of our lives we have to apologise for being black and a minority,” he added.

Euro 2016 has been plagued by violent incidents involving travelling fans, with the French interior ministry confirming on Thursday that 323 arrests had been made since the start of the tournament.