Viral video: Qatar officials threaten to break reporter’s camera on live TV ahead of FIFA World Cup 2022

Qatar officials confronted a Danish news anchor reporting from a public place (Image credit: RasmusTantholdt/Twitter)

Qatar officials have apologised after a Danish TV crew was threatened by security officials on live TV ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022. The football championship is all set to commence in Qatar in a few days, and journalists from across the world have flown in to cover it.

On Tuesday, Rasmus Tantholdt, a correspondent with Danish broadcaster TV2, was broadcasting live with his colleagues from the streets of Qatar capital Doha when they were interrupted by security officials who threatened to break their camera.

Footage shows the three officials arriving on a golf buggy and interrupting the broadcast. One of the officials held up an object in front of the TV crew’s camera to block filming and another threatened to break their equipment.

“You have invited the whole world here. Why can’t we film? It is a public place,” Tantholdt was heard saying. He also tried to show his media accreditation to the officials - but to no avail. “You can break the camera. You want to break it? You are threatening us by smashing the camera?” the reporter said in English.

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— world cup out of context (@unluckyfootie) November 16, 2022

According to Deadline News, Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, the organisers of the FIFA World Cup 2022, later issued a statement saying that the crew was 'mistakenly interrupted' and an apology had been made to the broadcaster

“Upon inspection of the crew’s valid tournament accreditation and filming permit, an apology was made to the broadcaster by on-site security before the crew resumed their activity,” the Supreme Committee said.

On its website, TV2 said its team had the “correct accreditations” to report from a public place.