Media criticism hits alarming levels amidst 'Freedom Protests'

This weekend in Surrey, B.C. a video journalist was pushed from behind and spat on by two men.

When CTV covered a recent protest in Fredericton, a protester blocked the reporter every chance he could.

And, while reporting live in Ottawa, CTV's Glen McGregor kept his composure while facing a torrent of profanity and verbal abuse. On Twitter, McGregor said protesters also called the media 'Nazis.'

It is an increasingly troubling trend and digital anthropologist Giles Crouch said the Nazi comparison has become a repeated theme.

“They lump government and media in together, and it’s easy for them to say Nazis and authoritarian,” said Crouch, who added the tone of anger directed at media has become more toxic in recent weeks.

“The media is seen as the mouthpiece of the government. This is driven largely out of the United States with the far right wing movement.”

Military historian Ken Hynes has no problem with holding the media accountable for its reporting, but he said comparisons to Nazism or fascism are off-side.

“Clearly, the people who are saying those things have no real or complete understanding of history and military history,” said Hynes.

“Over six million people were murdered by the Nazis in Europe during the Second World War. To make any connection whatsoever between Hitler and Nazism and things that are going on today to restore order in our own country is absolutely outrageous and ludicrous in the highest degree.”

Atlantic Jewish Council President Arik Drucker has heard the Nazi comparison thrown around by some protesters.

“When Jews hear that, it does feel like a hit in the gut,” said Drucker.

While Drucker believes those using these words represent the minority of the protesters, it’s still hurtful.

“If the folks who portrayed themselves as victims of Nazis… if they had to survive this event, they would see this in a much more personal and direct way,” he said, adding they would likely choose their words more carefully.