PHYSICAL ALTERCATION ESCALATES TO COMMUNAL DIGITAL HARASSMENT

An argument over seating at the Mumbai Press Club during a film screening quickly spiralled into a vicious, communal online hate campaign against the Club’s President, Samar Khadas. Videos were clipped and circulated to target him based on his Muslim identity, labeling him an “Urban Naxal,” and branding the Press Club as a hub for “anti-nationals.”

 This illustrates how even minor professional disputes can be weaponized with communal and political rhetoric in the digital space to achieve the goal of silencing or discrediting journalists. Furthermore, reports indicate that six journalists have been killed in India in 2025 alone, highlighting that both digital attacks (especially against women journalists with AI-facilitated gender-based violence) and physical violence remain dual, potent threats to media professionals.

 Digital Toxicity, Communal Targeting, and Safety of Journalists (Physical and Online).

How can press clubs and media organizations better protect their members from coordinated digital hate campaigns that exploit communal divisions to discredit and ultimately silence critical reporting?