Journalists Gissella Buendía, Alfonso Laso Ayala, and José Carlos Crespo were covering the match between Mexico and Ecuador for Teleamazonas when they began receiving empty beer cups thrown by a group of fans.
“People taking advantage in the area where the press box is, throwing beer at us from above, and now that we’re on air they threw again”, Buendía said.
Then, a cup hits his teammate squarely in the face.
Fortunately, the object did not seriously injure anyone; however, the broadcast was interrupted for a few seconds while they tried to continue their work amid the disorder.
The footage quickly began circulating on social media, where reactions were divided.
Some users condemned the fans’ behavior, pointing out that no journalist should be harassed simply for doing their job.
Others, however, downplayed the episode and said that these kinds of situations are part of the atmosphere usually surrounding major football tournaments, especially when thousands of fans celebrate in the streets.
The incident once again sparked a discussion that has been repeated throughout this World Cup: are these behaviors part of football folklore, or do they already cross the line of respect toward those working to cover the event?
Here is the clip: