HALIFAX — Police say they are investigating after a TV journalist was heckled with a misogynistic taunt while reporting live from a Halifax bar.
CTV Atlantic reporter Heather Butts told her Twitter followers she was fine on Friday after what she described as an offensive phrase was hurled at her during the station's 6 p.m. broadcast.
Butts was doing a live hit from Pint Public House in Halifax where fans were watching a world junior hockey championship game when the incident occurred.
A recording shows a man who approaches Butts and appears to make a crude gesture while calling out a sexually explicit phrase
Butts turned around and continued with her report, later acknowledging the on-air incident in a tweet, saying she "will be pursuing this further."
Staff Sgt. Greg Mason of Halifax Regional Police says officers have followed up on a complaint regarding the broadcast and are waiting to hear if the complainant wants to proceed with the investigation.
Butts turned down an interview request on Saturday, and CTV Atlantic's news director declined to comment other than to say the station is pursuing the matter with police.
There's been a slew of similar incidents across the country.
In November, an American man was charged with causing a disturbance after yelling a vulgar phrase at CHCH reporter Britt Dixon while she was interviewing a Hamilton police officer.
During a live hit at a local bar tonight, something offensive was said to me and it went on the air. I want everyone to know that I am fine and I thank you all for your support. I will be pursuing this further.
— Heather Butts (@HeatherButtsCTV) December 29, 2017
Dixon said it was the third time that had happened to her over the course of four days.
And in August, police charged a Newfoundland man with causing a disturbance after he yelled the phrase at a reporter. Police laid a mischief charge against another Newfoundland man who yelled the same thing toward a journalist in April.
And in 2015, a Toronto FC soccer fan shouted the phrase during an interview with CityNews reporter Shauna Hunt. His friend laughed, dismissing the comment as a joke.
That man was fired by Hydro One after the station aired the video. He was later rehired as part of an arbitration process, Hydro One said at the time.
With all of the sexual harassment complaints and the close attention being paid right now I am sad to say I was interviewing students at a college today & a male student yelled FHRITP behind me in the middle of an interview
— Britt Dixon (@BrittDixonTV) November 21, 2017
