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Journalism of Courage
Batman star Christian Bale,in the midst of promoting a film he made in China that some critics have called propaganda,was physically stopped by government-backed guards from visiting a blind activist living under house arrest,with a CNN crew in tow to record the scuffle. CNN posted footage of the confrontation on its website Friday.
The run-in and publicity is likely to cause discomfort in Chinas government-backed film industry,which hopes Bales movie The Flowers of War will be a creative success at home and abroad. The stars actions are sure to focus attention on the plight of Chen Guangcheng,guarded around the clock by thugs who have blocked dozens of reporters and fellow activists trying to see him in the past.
Bale was to leave China on Friday. Bale,who won a best supporting actor Oscar for last years The Fighter,travelled Thursday with a crew from CNN to the village in eastern China where Chen,the blind lawyer,lives with his family in complete isolation.
They were stopped at the entrance to Dongshigu village in Shandong province by unidentified men. The video footage shows Bale asking to see Chen,with a CNN producer providing interpretation,but being ordered by one of the guards to leave. He then asked why he was unable to pass through. The guards responded by trying to grab or punch a small video camera Bale was carrying.
