The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has protested over the ruling by the Belfast High Court that video footage of recent Drumcree protests should be handed over to the police.
In a secret session on Tuesday Mr Justice Patrick Markey ordered the BBC and Ulster Television to hand over their film of the trouble at Drumcree two weeks ago to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
According to the NUJ’s Irish organiser, Mr Seamus Dooley, the decision could put the safety of journalists working in Northern Ireland at risk.
"Clearly these orders could be dangerous," Mr Dooley said.
"Tensions are already high between journalists and demonstrators at Drumcree, where we have to work in very difficult circumstances.
"And why was the sitting in private? The order was under the UK's Police and Criminal Evidence Act, which requires a Crown Court to consider carefully the arguments against as well as for an order. How can that happen in secret?"
The order is the latest in a series made by UK judges against publishers and individual journalists.
Other current cases include:
- an order on two TV reporters to identify confidential sources by the Saville tribunal in Derry;
- a reporter on the Manchester Evening News who has refused an order by a Crown Court judge to divulge his source for a story identifying a man allegedly involved in the IRA bombing in the city;
Mr Dooley added: "There is a very alarming trend among judges to ignore or override the journalists' duty to protect confidential information or sources. Journalists cannot do their jobs if they cannot protect their sources and themselves.
"In the Drumcree case, any suggestion that their footage might be used to prosecute rioters could put them in very real danger."