Homeless screwdriver-wielding thug who attacked TV reporter live on air while yelling ‘Allahu Akbar’ as she covered the Black Lives Matter protests in London pleads guilty to assault
- Soofuu Yakr, 26, has admitted to assaulting Nine News Australia’s Sophie Walsh
- It came during the huge Black Lives Matter protest in central London yesterday
- Ms Walsh, 34, could be heard screaming and was visibly shaken after the attack
- Another presenter said that the attacker had ‘made motions to stab’ the reporter
- Yakr was remanded in custody to appear at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday
Soofuu Yakr, 26, admitted assaulting Nine News Australia’s Sophie Walsh
A screwdriver-wielding thug who yelled ‘Allahu Akbar’ as he attacked a TV reporter live on air at the Black Lives Matter protest has pleaded guilty to assault.
Soofuu Yakr, 26, of no fixed address, admitted assaulting Nine News Australia’s Sophie Walsh during the demonstration in central London yesterday.
Ms Walsh, 34, could be heard screaming and was visibly shaken afterwards as she relayed the incident to her colleagues.
She said: ‘Sorry, I just had someone come up and try and… yeah. A man just came up and grabbed me. He’s not armed. A man just came up and grabbed me though.’
Another presenter said the attacker ‘made motions to stab her’, with the cameraman operator and bystanders chasing him down.
The incident was reported on the Nine News network in Adelaide when TV anchor Brenton Ragless described what happened.
Ragless said: ‘The attacker grabbed Sophie during Adelaide’s 6pm news bulletin just an hour ago. He yelled ”Allahu Akbar” while making motions to stab her.
Nine News’ Europe correspondent Sophie Walsh was seen clearly shaken after the attack while covering the Black Lives Matter protests in London yesterday
After the incident on London’s Park Lane at around 9.45am, Ms Walsh told her colleague: ‘Sorry, I just had someone come up and try and… yeah. A man just came up and grabbed me’
‘The man was chased down and detained by Nine’s camera operator and bystanders until police arrived. It is unclear whether the man had a screwdriver in his hand or in his pocket. Sophie is shaken but unharmed, which is good news.’
Footage later showed Yakr being detained by two police officers and held against a car bonnet.
He was charged with possession of an offensive weapon, one of possession of a Class B drug and one of assault by beating.
Ms Walsh later wrote on Twitter: ‘Thank you for your messages. The man has been arrested for threats to kill and carrying a weapon. I’m shaken but okay.
‘Big thanks to my incredible cameraman Jason Conduit who chased him down armed with a light stand and got him arrested.’
Footage showed a man being detained by two police officers, above, and held against a car bonnet. Ms Walsh later wrote on Twitter she is ‘shaken but okay’
The cameraman, Jason Conduit, is pictured chasing the man with a light stand. Senior producer Michelle Taverniti tweeted: ‘Incredibly brave. We’re all thankful they’re alright’
The tweet from Ms Walsh, in which she wrote: ‘I’m shaken but ok. Big thanks to my incredible cameraman Jason Conduit who chased him down armed with a light stand’
Senior producer Michelle Taverniti also posted a picture of Mr Conduit chasing after the thug, captioned: ‘Incredibly brave. We’re all thankful they’re alright.’
The network said in a statement: ‘Nine News appreciates the enormous pressure our international correspondents are under and is offering Sophie Walsh ongoing support.’
‘Sophie is grateful for the outpouring of support she has received from the public and wishes to reassure our viewers that she is safe and well.’
Ms Walsh joined Nine News in 2009 after working as the head of newsroom at WIN television in Bundaberg, Australia.
Ms Walsh, pictured above, was ‘shaken but unharmed’ after the attack on Park Lane
She became a weekend weather presenter for the network in Brisbane in 2014 before returning to Sydney and being appointed as the Europe correspondent in June of last year.
The National Union of Journalists condemned the ‘escalating attacks on reporters and photographers’, saying ‘political leaders must do more to stem this spiralling antagonism’.
Met Police said the attack was ‘not being treated as a terror incident’.
A spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘Police were called at 09:46 on Wednesday, 03 June to Park Lane, W1 reports of an assault and a man making threats.
‘Police nearby gave chase and detained the man. No injuries have been reported at this time.
‘A man, no further details, was arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of class B drugs.
‘He has been taken to a central London police station, where he remains at this time.’
It came as thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters including singer Liam Payne and actor John Boyega gathered in the capital city as a show of force against the death of George Floyd in the US.
Protesters including Star Wars actor John Boyega, centre, raise their fists in Parliament Square during a Black Lives Matter demonstrations yesterday following the death of George Floyd
Crowds gather to demonstrate and ‘take the knee’ at a Justice for Black Lives protest in front of an embassy in London yesterday. Police were generally keeping in the background
Police officers are seen walking down a road during the Black Lives Matter protest following the death of Mr Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis, US, on May 25
Huge crowds gathered in Hyde Park despite ongoing social distancing rules as many campaigners wore face coverings and held signs with messages reading ‘Please, I can’t breathe’, ‘BLM’ and ‘Colour ≠ Crime’.
The rally comes amid global demonstrations gather pace following the death of 46-year-old black man Mr Floyd who died after white police officer Derek Chauvin put his knee on his neck for nine minutes in Minneapolis on May 25.
Yakr appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to all three charges.
He was remanded in custody to appear at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday for sentencing.
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