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Chinese officials could be seen in a viral video Friday attempting to end the live broadcast of a Dutch television reporter at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
“Our correspondent was pulled away from the camera by security guards at 12:00 pm live in the NOS Journaal,” the Dutch station, NOS Journaal, tweeted Friday along with the video. “Unfortunately, this is increasingly becoming a daily reality for journalists in China. He is fine and was able to finish his story a few minutes later.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission. Xi is said to be China’s most authoritarian leader in decades. (Wang Ye/Xinhua via Getty Images)
In the video, reporter Sjoerd den Daas can be seen being yanked off camera by Chinese officials as he tries to continue his report from Beijing.
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Observers suspected that the “Public Security Volunteers” who were seen pushing the reporter away were upset that he was filming in an unphotogenic location, according to Daily Mail.
Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng lights the torch before the start of the torch relay for the 2022 Winter Olympics at the Olympic Forest Park in Beijing on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil)
Twitter users immediately criticized the Chinese government and renewed calls for the United States to boycott the games over a multitude of human rights issues in the communist country.
“Day 1 of the Winter Olympics and the CCP has already physically pulled a Dutch reporter off air,” Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw tweeted. “Where are the woke NBA, Nike, and Hollywood China apologists?”
“It’s begun in China where Chinese Security forces pull a reporter away from a live shot, “Former NYPD Detective Rob O’Donnell tweeted. “Why are Americans subjecting themselves to this? Boycott the Olympics!”
As the Beijing Olympics kick off, the games are likely to shine a fresh light on the Chinese communist regime’s human rights abuses at home, as well as its violations of international law and freedoms abroad, with critics warning of the dangers of letting the regime off the hook.
Top Republicans in the House have called on the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) to not only keep American athletes safe while competing in the Winter Games but to properly inform them of China’s human rights abuses, warning the games pose “an unprecedented threat to American values.”
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The United States sent its athletes to the games but announced a diplomatic boycott meaning it did not send U.S. officials.
Athletes from Russian Olympic Committee arrive during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
“The Biden administration will not send any diplomatic or official representation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games, given the PRC’s ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in December.
Fox News’ Adam Shaw contributed to this report
