Laszlo insisted that she was scared when the migrants broke away and started to run. However, the CNN film clearly shows her kicking or tripping multiple migrants including going out of her way to trip a man holding a young child. That does not exactly look like an act of self-defense.
Laszlo , who has been fired, stated “I am very sorry for the incident, and as a mother I am especially sorry for the fact that fate pushed a child in my way. I did not see that at that moment. I started to panic and as I re-watch the film, it seems as it was not even me.”
It is interesting that the government would be exploring a public nuisance offense since she was present to perform a protected activity as a member of the media. There may be something lost in translation here. This would seem not only unethical as a journalist becoming a participant in a news event but a case of assault.
What is clear is that the self-defense claim would not go very far in a U.S. court with this videotape.