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Russia Today Reporter Mobbed, Robbed As She Films Baltimore Chaos [VIDEO]

Chuck Ross Investigative Reporter
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A journalist for Russia Today was mobbed and robbed by a large group of men in Baltimore Saturday night and captured it all on live video.

Paulina Leonovich was on the ground covering the protests of the recent death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray.

Gray was arrested on April 12 and died a week later. His spine was severed, though it is unclear how that happened. Baltimore’s police commissioner admitted Friday that Gray did not receive proper medical attention while he was in police custody.

Saturday’s protests began peacefully but grew violent by the late afternoon. Protesters threw garbage cans and bricks at vehicles and business windows. The chaos forced the mayor of Baltimore to force fans attending a baseball game at Camden Yards to remain at the ballpark until the trouble passed.

Leonovich experienced some of that violence as she recorded a live feed for Russia Today’s Ruptly news service. Russia Today is controlled by the Russian government and often portrays the American government in a negative light.

Leonovich was filming when a crowd of young men gathered around her and began shouting in support of Gray. “This is for Freddie G.,” one man said. Others flocked around Leonovich and began yelling aggressively and flipping off the camera. Then someone in the growing crowd stole Leonovich’s bag. The group scattered, and the journalist gave chase.

Men mob Russia Today reporter Paulina Leonovich (Youtube screengrab)

Men mob Russia Today reporter Paulina Leonovich (Youtube screengrab)

“Give it back,” a distraught Leonovich can be heard yelling repeatedly as she chases the scattering thieves. As she is in pursuit, several Baltimore police officers are seen grabbing one of the men and taking him to the ground. The man denies that he is the one who took Leonovich’s bag.

Leonovich is heard sobbing and trying to explain what happened to the officer and cuts the live feed shortly afterwards.

The Daily Caller reached out to Leonovich and Ruptly through email but neither responded.

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