Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez said yesterday that journalists attacked last week provoked the assault by taking political action against the law. Journalists protesting an education bill that they claim would restrict press freedom were violently attacked on Aug. 14. Government supporters hit and kicked journalists from the privately owned, Caracas-based dailies Últimas Noticias, El Mundo and Diario Líder. Four women, María Rondón, Gabriela Iribarren, Greasi Bolaños and Glexis Pastran, and at least other eight male colleagues, were severely injured. Rondón was hurt on the head and had to have stitches. Read the CPJ alert.