ISTANBUL

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) raised concern Friday about a journalist being forcibly removed from a news conference by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken while trying to ask a question.

“RSF was shocked to see @samhusseini violently removed from a @statedept press briefing for asking tough questions,” it wrote on X.

RSF urged authorities not to set a precedent for incidents that happened Thursday and to allow Husseini to carry out his work without further hindrance.

“Such treatment of journalists is unacceptable for any administration and must not become precedent,” it said.

Husseini called Blinken a "criminal."

"Everyone from Amnesty International to the ICJ (International Court of Justice) is saying Israel is doing genocide and extermination and you're telling me to respect the process? Why aren't you in The Hague?" said Husseini.

Another journalist, Max Blumenthal, also protested Blinken's remarks at the beginning of the briefing and said 300 reporters in Gaza were targeted by US bombs.

"Why did you keep the bombs flowing when we had a deal in May, we all knew we had a deal. Everyone in this room knows we had a deal, Tony, and you kept the bombs flowing. Why did you sacrifice the rules-based order on the mantle of your commitment to Zionism?" shouted Blumenthal.