Fighting Erupts at Unity '08

By Tim State in News on Jul 27, 2008 2:01PM

A fight broke out at a convention minority journalists here in Chicago. The topic: Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade, who was speaking at the convention.

The brief brouhaha broke out Friday at the Unity '08 convention, prompting the arrival of dozens of police vehicles, Editor & Publisher reported. Officers separated the two dozen or so people involved in the sparring.

The fight seemed to erupt when Wade backers were irritated by a protester being questioned by a journalist. Organizers said they took some risk in asking Wade to speak because some think he has silenced the press in his country through intimidation.

Unity ‘08 is attended by the National Association of Black Journalists, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Asian American Journalists Association and Native American Journalism Association. [UPI]