Social Media References to Journalists as 'Soft Targets' Ignites Inauguration Coverage Fears

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

As the media gear up to cover President-elect Joe Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration in Washington D.C., some journalists are alarmed by an ongoing spate of Twitter references to journalists as “soft targets” in relation to possible violence surrounding the event.

Seattle Times managing editor Ray Rivera told the Associated Press he was disturbed after coming across tweets using the “chilling” phrase “soft targets” to describe journalists who will be covering the inauguration in D.C. or planned protests at state capitols across the nation.

“This is scary territory,” Rivera said. “I don’t want to overstate this, but there is always the concern. It’s hard to know how much of this is rhetoric or bombast, but it’s easy for me to think that some person is going to take those messages seriously and do something

“Soft target” is a military term describing unarmored and undefended places or people under threat of being attacked or destroyed. Journalists reported being threatened and having camera equipment grabbed and smashed during the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by a violent mob of Trump supporters.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/social-media-references-journalists-soft-231100157.html

[TheBlackAdder]

1. Of course their first targets will those who can't or won't defend themselves. They're so macho!