Yesterday, WHDH 7News reporter Grant Hermes faced an unwelcome disruption while delivering a live report outside TD Garden during a Bruins game. A man unexpectedly appeared, flexed, and placed his arms around the reporter from behind, capturing the incident on-camera, per a press release by mass.gov.
Following the incident, Hermes posted a video on social media that detailed the man's intrusion and his subsequent reaction. According to Boston.com, Hermes successfully pushed the man off, then chased him away before returning to the camera.
With a clear message conveyed through social media posts, Hermes stated, "I'm fine. My photog is fine. But I wanna be clear how not ok this is." The reporter emphasized the fact that those appearing on TV are at work and can face potential threats, putting the safety of reporters and crew members at risk.
This was not a singular event, as Oscar Margáin, a Boston-based reporter for NBC10 Boston, NECN, and Telemundo also reported a similar encounter during his Sunday morning stand-up. Margáin encouraged awareness, urging people who engage such antics to educate themselves about the implications.
On-air reporters regularly find themselves in uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous situations due to the thoughtless actions of some individuals. This can dramatically affect the professional duties of those like Grant Hermes and Oscar Margáin who are merely trying to relay news to their audience.
Professional colleagues and viewers provided support for both Hermes and Margáin, recognizing how these invasions can adversely affect their work. The Boston Globe reports MSNBC senior producer Shawn Reynolds' comments on the issue, branding it "gross and unacceptable," and encouraging people to respect the work of TV personnel.
