The American reporter who was covering a local running event handled the situation like a pro, and took to Twitter to tell people to ‘do better’.
In the video, which has now been viewed more than 11 million times – you see reporter Alex Bozarjian talking to the camera when one of the runners makes a beeline for her and smacks her on the bum with some arguable force.
In response to the hit, Bozarjian stands in complete shock with her mouth open for a few seconds staring at the runner, before returning to her reporting.
After seeing the incident on television, one twitter user posted the clip calling the guy who did it a ‘jerk’.
She said:
Check out this jerk smacking a @WSAV reporter’s ass live on air.
In response to the tweet, Bozarjian argued no woman should have to put up with what she endured at work, or anywhere else.
She said:
To the man who smacked my butt on live TV this morning: You violated, objectified, and embarrassed me. No woman should EVER have to put up with this at work or anywhere!! Do better.
Apparently, the runner has since tried to get in contact with the TV station Bozarjian works for to try and defend his intentions.
Bozarjian has received support online but, despite the very obvious wrong-doing of the runner, she has also has received backlash as well.
One Twitter user said:
oh FFS get over it. you were NOT violated and it was NOT indecent assault… yes, it was a little inappropriate, but it was clearly a spur of the moment bit of fun… way too much political correctness these days. Boring. Move on.
In the CBS interview, they read out the statement given to them by the runner’s lawyer.
CBS anchor Anthony Mason read from the statement:
They regret the situation and he [the lawyer], quote, said that ‘he did not act with any criminal intentions, and Tommy [the accused] is a loving husband and father and we do not expect any criminal charges.
The show anchors then ask Bozarjian if she would consider accepting the runner’s apology.
Bozarjian responded by saying:
Urm, what’s most important here is that he took my power, and I’m trying to take that back.
Whether I am open to it or not, I want to take my time with that.
I think what it comes down to is that he helped himself to a part of my body.
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Niamh Shackleton is a pint sized person and journalist at UNILAD. After studying Multimedia Journalism at the University of Salford, she did a year at Caters News Agency as a features writer in Birmingham before deciding that Manchester is (arguably) one of the best places in the world, and therefore moved back up north. She’s also UNILAD’s unofficial crazy animal lady.