The media outlet Axios has given its employees permission to attend the George Floyd protests, and has even offered to pay their bail in the event that any of them are arrested, according to Fox News.
In a move described by Fox as “rare for a major media organization,” an email was sent by Axios founder and CEO Jim VandeHei, who said that “we proudly support and encourage you to exercise your rights to free speech, press, and protest.” The email further announced that “if you’re arrested or meet harm while exercising these rights, Axios will stand behind you and use the Family Fund to cover your bail or assist with medical bills.”
The unusual decision by a media outlet comes as the mainstream media has faced widespread accusations of hypocrisy between their prior coverage of the coronavirus pandemic and their new coverage of the race riots. While many of them condemned anti-lockdown protests as likely to help spread the virus, none of them have voiced similar concerns about the far-left demonstrations.
Furthermore, the decision to bail out any journalists who are arrested reflects a broader trend of celebrities and members of the political elites offering to bail out any rioters who are arrested, which many have considered an affront to the rule of law and essentially giving a free pass to vandals and arsonists.