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{
"title": "Getty photojournalist and colleague robbed at gunpoint after documenting Oakland protests",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/getty-photojournalist-and-colleague-robbed-gunpoint-after-documenting-oakland-protests/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-11T15:28:09.508079Z",
"last_published_at": "2025-04-04T18:29:12.867608Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2025-04-04T18:29:12.760182Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Oakland",
"longitude": -122.2708,
"latitude": 37.80437,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"46ssv\">Getty photojournalist Justin Sullivan was robbed at gunpoint while covering protests in Oakland, California, in the early hours of May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"fqj3q\">Protests that began in Minnesota on May 26 have spread across the country, sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest the day before. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"z49yd\">Sullivan told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that he and his colleague, <a href=\"https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/photojournalist-colleague-robbed-gunpoint-after-documenting-oakland-protests/\">freelance photojournalist Stephen Lam</a>, were walking back to their cars in downtown Oakland at around 12:30 a.m. after documenting the night’s protests and some looting at a nearby Target when two men approached them.</p><p data-block-key=\"fjkyb\">“We got to our cars — I got in my car, my other colleague was going to his car — and the one guy came around, blocked my door, put a gun to my chest, said, ‘Give me your cameras,’” Sullivan said.</p><p data-block-key=\"ixdhv\">He handed over his two cameras with their lenses to one of the men, who also took his backpack containing his laptop and passport.</p><p data-block-key=\"mgjr3\">The other man pushed Lam into the trunk of Sullivan’s car. He got out unharmed, but was robbed of his camera and lens.</p><p data-block-key=\"qgcv9\">“The big takeaway for both of us was that we were unharmed,” Sullivan said. “The thing that we were most upset about, to be honest, was that we had been shooting for a couple of hours and we had a lot of pictures that we lost. Just gone.”</p><p data-block-key=\"evvr3\">Sullivan said that they had alerted the police but had not been able to file a police report in the days following the robbery as police were occupied with a backlog of emergency calls.</p><p data-block-key=\"yqo0r\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting several hundred total incidents of journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd-control ammunition or tear gas or had their equipment damaged while covering protests across the country related to the death of George Floyd while in police custody. Find these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
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"primary_video": null,
"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"bd6gb\">Photojournalist Justin Sullivan — and a colleague who took this photograph — had been documenting the looting of this Target store and other protests in Minneapolis late on May 29, 2020, when they were robbed at gunpoint.</p>",
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},
{
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},
{
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}
],
"state": {
"name": "California",
"abbreviation": "CA"
},
"updates": [],
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"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"protest",
"robbery"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Assault",
"Equipment Damage"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Justin Sullivan (Getty Images)"
],
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},
{
"title": "Photojournalist, colleague, robbed at gunpoint after documenting Oakland protests",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/photojournalist-colleague-robbed-gunpoint-after-documenting-oakland-protests/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-11T15:22:09.774608Z",
"last_published_at": "2025-04-04T18:29:32.589177Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2025-04-04T18:29:32.474125Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Oakland",
"longitude": -122.2708,
"latitude": 37.80437,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"iv5no\">Freelance photojournalist Stephen Lam was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint by two men while covering protests in Oakland, California, in the early hours of May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"2iuqz\">Protests that began in Minnesota on May 26 have spread across the country, sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest the day before. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"o88l1\">Lam and <a href=\"https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/getty-photojournalist-and-colleague-robbed-gunpoint-after-documenting-oakland-protests/\">Getty photojournalist Justin Sullivan</a> were walking back to their cars in downtown Oakland at around 12:30 a.m. after documenting the night’s protests.</p><p data-block-key=\"7ysl6\">Lam told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that they had just reached their cars when they were confronted by two men. One man focused on Lam, the other Sullivan.</p><p data-block-key=\"9qqj6\">“I turned around and there was another individual on me,” Lam said. “He had a hard time getting his gun out … He seemed to get impatient, and I told him to just give me a second, because all my cameras are clipped to my vest.”</p><p data-block-key=\"fpsxt\">At that moment, Sullivan’s assailant forced him to open the trunk of his car and Lam’s assailant tried to shove Lam inside the open trunk, Lam said.</p><p data-block-key=\"59f56\">Amid the chaos, one of Lam’s cameras fell into the trunk and out of clear view, which he believes is why the man forgot about it and only got away with one camera and lens.</p><p data-block-key=\"my3j1\">Sullivan’s assailant took his two cameras with their lenses, as well as his backpack containing a laptop and his passport, Sullivan told the Tracker.</p><p data-block-key=\"oyxec\">Lam added that earlier that night someone else had tried to steal his gear, but that man didn’t succeed.</p><p data-block-key=\"es9so\">“We were really lucky,” Lam said. “Obviously it sucks to lose the pictures but it could have been a lot worse for us.”</p><p data-block-key=\"etinp\">Sullivan said that they had alerted the police but had not been able to file a police report in the days following the robbery as police were occupied with a backlog of emergency calls.</p><p data-block-key=\"gif50\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting several hundred total incidents of journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd-control ammunition or tear gas or had their equipment damaged while covering protests across the country related to the death of George Floyd while in police custody. Find these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
"teaser_image": "https://media.pressfreedomtracker.us/media/images/RTS39LFD.2e16d0ba.fill-1330x880.jpg",
"primary_video": null,
"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"weqgo\">Photojournalist Stephen Lam was documenting Minneapolis protests late on May 29, 2020 — including the looting of this Target store — when he was robbed at gunpoint.</p>",
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{
"quantity": 1,
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{
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],
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"abbreviation": "CA"
},
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"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"protest",
"robbery"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Assault",
"Equipment Damage"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Stephen Lam (Freelance)"
],
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},
{
"title": "Magazine reporter grazed by rubber bullet while covering LA protest",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/magazine-reporter-grazed-by-rubber-bullet-while-covering-la-protest/",
"first_published_at": "2021-09-29T17:50:02.476121Z",
"last_published_at": "2024-06-17T17:55:07.964707Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2024-06-17T17:55:07.855637Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Los Angeles",
"longitude": -118.24368,
"latitude": 34.05223,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"fspe6\">Samuel Braslow, a reporter for Los Angeles Magazine, was struck by a crowd-control munition while covering protests in Los Angeles, California, on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"51px1\">The protests were held in response to a video showing a white police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a Black man, during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25. Floyd was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Protests against police brutality and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement have been held across the United States since the end of May.</p><p data-block-key=\"4evtg\">Samuel Braslow, a reporter for Los Angeles Magazine, <a href=\"https://twitter.com/SamBraslow/status/1266888617936355328\">tweeted</a> that was covering protests outside CBS Studios when his leg was grazed by a projectile fired by police, breaking the skin.</p></div>\n<div class=\"block-tweet\"><div class=\"tweet-embed\">\n <div>\n <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Grazed by a rubber bullet while covering protests in Los Angeles. Police opened fire on protesters who hand their hands up outside CBS gate. <a href=\"https://t.co/sAiG5q7193\">pic.twitter.com/sAiG5q7193</a></p>— Samuel Braslow (@SamBraslow) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/SamBraslow/status/1266888617936355328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\n\n</div>\n\n</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"iktu3\">Braslow, who did not immediately return a request for comment, wrote in subsequent tweets that he was “doing fine.”</p><p data-block-key=\"1je70\">The Los Angeles Police Department did not respond to an email requesting comment.</p><p data-block-key=\"37euc\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker documents journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd-control ammunition or tear gas or who had their equipment damaged in the course of reporting. Find all incidents related to Black Lives Matter and anti-police brutality protests <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
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"assailant": "law enforcement",
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"name": "California",
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},
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"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"protest",
"shot / shot at"
],
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"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Assault"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Samuel Braslow (Los Angeles)"
],
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},
{
"title": "Unidentified man attacks Reuters photographer with crowbar during Minneapolis protests",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/unidentified-man-attacks-reuters-photographer-crowbar-during-minneapolis-protests/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-10T23:15:33.622563Z",
"last_published_at": "2023-11-02T15:28:53.519004Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2023-11-02T15:28:53.431238Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Minneapolis",
"longitude": -93.26384,
"latitude": 44.97997,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"mff8j\">An unidentified man wearing body armor broke Reuters photographer Lucas Jackson’s camera with a crowbar while he was covering protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"mb04g\">Protests that began in Minnesota on May 26 have spread across the country, sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest the day before. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"xape5\">Jackson described his attacker and posted a photo of his broken camera on Twitter:</p></div>\n<div class=\"block-tweet\"><div class=\"tweet-embed\">\n <div>\n <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Photo of the camera that a man with a crowbar hit when he attacked me while working in Minneapolis today. A man dressed as a “Medic” with body armor, keep your eyes out. <a href=\"https://t.co/H4d6YXtK0K\">pic.twitter.com/H4d6YXtK0K</a></p>— Lucas Jackson (@Lucas_Jackson_) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/Lucas_Jackson_/status/1266973281896235008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\n\n</div>\n\n</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"c3nrj\">In a statement given to the Committee to Protect Journalists through Reuters’ press office, Jackson said that the assailant was “a young white man wearing body armor emblazoned with a red medic cross.”</p><p data-block-key=\"lheyq\">In the statement, Jackson said that the young man screamed “Get out of here!” before smashing Jackson’s camera with the crowbar. The statement did not say that Jackson was injured in the attack.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
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"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"vd0mg\">An unidentified man attacked Reuters photographer Lucas Jackson with a crowbar during protests in Minneapolis on May 30, damaging his camera.</p>",
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{
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"name": "Minnesota",
"abbreviation": "MN"
},
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"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"protest"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Assault",
"Equipment Damage"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Lucas Jackson (Reuters)"
],
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},
{
"title": "Chicago journalist pepper-sprayed in the face while holding up press credentials and screaming ‘Press!’",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/chicago-journalist-pepper-sprayed-face-while-holding-press-credentials-and-screaming-press/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-10T03:04:31.329926Z",
"last_published_at": "2025-04-03T23:48:57.343012Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2025-04-03T23:48:57.246362Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Chicago",
"longitude": -87.65005,
"latitude": 41.85003,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"udovp\">Freelance journalist <a href=\"https://jonathanballew.wixsite.com/jonathanballew\">Jonathan Ballew</a> was pepper-sprayed at close range by a law enforcement officer on May 30, 2020, while covering protests in downtown Chicago. The assault occurred as he screamed “Press!” and held his press credential above his head.</p><p data-block-key=\"qrw5k\">The protests were sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, for eight minutes and 46 seconds during an arrest in Minneapolis on May 25. Floyd was pronounced dead at a local hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"ylb7k\">Ballew, who freelances for <a href=\"http://www.thedailybeast.com/\">The Daily Beast</a> and <a href=\"https://blockclubchicago.org/\">Block Club Chicago</a>, was walking on Grand Avenue in Chicago at 8 p.m. ahead of a police line when the attack occurred, he told the Committee to Protect Journalists, a founding partner of the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker. Ballew said he was complying with officers’ orders to walk back when an officer in a dark green uniform and a protective mask started spraying pepper spray. As the officer aimed the can in Ballew’s direction, Ballew yelled, “Don’t shoot! I’m fucking press! I’m fucking press!”</p><p data-block-key=\"m2n98\">Ballew captured the attack in a Twitter livestream.</p></div>\n<div class=\"block-tweet\"><div class=\"tweet-embed\">\n <div>\n <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"und\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https://t.co/Tg2sH37MFQ\">https://t.co/Tg2sH37MFQ</a></p>— Jonathan Ballew (@JCB_Journo) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/JCB_Journo/status/1266897672545480706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\n\n</div>\n\n</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"g5clj\">“I remember making eye contact with [the officer] and then he directly sprayed me right in my face, even as I was screaming ‘Press, press, press!’” Ballew told CPJ.</p><p data-block-key=\"rwox3\">On the livestream, Ballew narrated the event: “I just got pepper-sprayed by a cop. I’ve been holding my press pass up in his face. Told him I was press. Directly pepper-sprayed me.” Ballew then addressed other officers passing by: “You guys are pepper-spraying press? Come on. I’m holding my press pass. Your brother in blue there is spraying press.”</p><p data-block-key=\"eyl4f\">Ballew told CPJ he is a Marine veteran. He said that he has been trained to protect himself from pepper spray and tear gas, and was able to shield most of his face from being hit, taking much of the pepper spray onto his forearms. Ballew poured water onto his face and continued reporting that evening. But after showering, his arms “felt like someone actually set them on fire,” he said.</p><p data-block-key=\"9siik\">It’s unclear to which agency the officer with the pepper spray belonged. The Tracker reached out to the Chicago Police Department for help identifying the officer in Ballew’s livestream video, and for comment on the incident, but the request was not immediately returned.</p><p data-block-key=\"u3dlj\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting several hundred total incidents of journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd control ammunition or tear gas or had their equipment damaged while covering protests across the country related to the death of George Floyd while in police custody. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
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"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"6z65m\">While covering protests in Chicago, <a href=\"https://jonathanballew.wixsite.com/jonathanballew\">Jonathan Ballew</a> livestreamed the moment he was pepper sprayed.</p>",
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"state": {
"name": "Illinois",
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},
"updates": [
"(2020-10-23 00:00:00+00:00) Journalist’s lawsuit against city of Chicago, police officer settles for $40,000",
"(2020-06-11 21:11:00+00:00) Freelance journalist files lawsuit against city of Chicago, police officer for unjustified use of force"
],
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"settled"
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"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"chemical irritant",
"protest"
],
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"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Assault"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Jonathan Ballew (Freelance)"
],
"subpoena_statuses": [],
"type_of_denial": []
},
{
"title": "MSNBC host struck by rubber bullet while covering protests in Minneapolis",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/police-target-dozens-journalists-covering-protests-minneapolis-tear-gas-pepper-spray-rubber-bullets/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-09T18:50:37.907873Z",
"last_published_at": "2024-06-17T17:32:54.007954Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2024-06-17T17:32:53.922954Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Minneapolis",
"longitude": -93.26384,
"latitude": 44.97997,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"b9zaj\">MSNBC host Ali Velshi was struck by a rubber bullet and caught in tear gas while covering protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"kdrff\">Protests began in Minnesota on May 26, sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a Black man, during an arrest the day before. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital. An 8 p.m. curfew was put into effect on May 30.</p><p data-block-key=\"44ur5\">At about 8:40 p.m., a group of Minnesota state police and National Guard officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets at a group of protesters, which also hit several journalists covering the demonstrations.</p><p data-block-key=\"j9698\">Velshi was hit by a rubber bullet in his left shin and was affected by the tear gas, he told the Committee to Protect Journalists — a founding partner of the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker — in a phone interview. Velshi said it was not clear whether the tear gas and rubber bullets were fired by state police or National Guard officers.</p><p data-block-key=\"zmhhq\">Velshi said in an <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_55kRMT5uc\">MSNBC broadcast</a> that he did not have time to put on his mask when the tear gas was first released. After Velashi and his crew retreated from the police line, the host was then hit by the rubber bullet, he told CPJ.</p><p data-block-key=\"g4mhx\">More than three dozen journalists were <a href=\"https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/?city=Minneapolis&date_lower=2020-05-30&date_upper=2020-05-30\">assaulted, arrested or had equipment damaged</a> while covering protests that night. The Minneapolis Police Department, Minnesota State Police, and Minnesota National Guard did not reply to emailed requests for comment about these incidents.</p><p data-block-key=\"w26dp\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker documents journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd-control ammunition or tear gas or who had their equipment damaged in the course of reporting. Find all incidents related to Black Lives Matter and anti-police brutality protests <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
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"state": {
"name": "Minnesota",
"abbreviation": "MN"
},
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"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"chemical irritant",
"protest",
"shot / shot at"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Assault"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Ali Velshi (MSNBC)"
],
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},
{
"title": "In ‘pandemonium,’ photojournalist arrested, held overnight in NYC",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/pandemonium-photojournalist-arrested-held-over-night-amid-new-york-city-protests/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-09T04:15:54.027872Z",
"last_published_at": "2025-04-14T14:20:21.011678Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2025-04-14T14:20:20.764274Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "New York",
"longitude": -74.00597,
"latitude": 40.71427,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"vdj0c\">Adam Gray, chief photojournalist for UK-based South West News Service, was pushed to the ground and arrested while covering protests in New York, New York, on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"s0w62\">Protests that began in Minnesota on May 26 spread across the country, sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest the day before. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"9evv8\">Gray told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that he had been documenting protests all day, and was photographing demonstrations in and around Union Square in Manhattan at around 10:40 p.m.</p><p data-block-key=\"a0a9j\">When Gray reached the front of a crowd of protesters on 13th Street, he said officers started charging the crowd and arresting protesters in what he described as “pandemonium.”</p><p data-block-key=\"djwz9\">“I’m photographing this happening and I turn and I see this big guy, this cop coming at me,” Gray said. As the officer pushed him to the ground, two of the three cameras he was carrying “smashed” to the ground off his shoulders. Gray noted that luckily the only damage to the equipment was a broken UV lens filter.</p><p data-block-key=\"csqum\">Two additional officers then came up and assisted the first in restraining Gray and arresting him, he said.</p></div>\n<div class=\"block-tweet\"><div class=\"tweet-embed\">\n <div>\n <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I now have more images of my arrest whilst photographing protests on Saturday from a NYC colleague. Three cameras hanging off me and a press card in a lanyard around my neck (clear and visible on the other side) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/SWNS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@SWNS</a> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/TheSun?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TheSun</a> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/GreensladeR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@GreensladeR</a> <a href=\"https://twitter.com/KateEMcCann?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@KateEMcCann</a> <a href=\"https://t.co/uvoil0DdNT\">pic.twitter.com/uvoil0DdNT</a></p>— Adam Gray (@agrayphoto) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/agrayphoto/status/1268960407299018761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 5, 2020</a></blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\n\n</div>\n\n</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"5pvwo\">“I have a lanyard that has my foreign press card in it around my neck,” Gray said. “They stood me up and another guy in white came up — I think he was a more senior officer — and I’m shouting at him as well that I’m foreign press, that I’m a photographer.”</p><p data-block-key=\"l4xp2\">Gray said they asked him whether his press pass was issued by the NYPD, and that he responded no, that it was a foreign press card issued by the US State Department. Gray told the Tracker that the officer said something to the effect of, “Alright, no no no, I’ll take him away.”</p><p data-block-key=\"ohh2h\">Officers then took Gray down the street and passed him off to another officer who was designated his arresting officer and was eventually listed on all of Gray’s arrest reports.</p><p data-block-key=\"kx1qm\">After being stripped of his equipment and re-cuffed, Gray waited on a prison transport bus with 50 to 60 others for half an hour until the rest of the seats were filled. He said he then waited an additional hour outside One Police Plaza due to the volume of arrestees that night.</p><p data-block-key=\"1h9c7\">“At this point, I feel like I’m just in the system and we’re going through with it, I’m being booked and that’s what’s happening. There’s nobody else there that I can speak to or remonstrate with,” Gray said.</p><p data-block-key=\"3ugwq\">After being processed, he was placed in a holding cell with 50-70 people crammed in shoulder-to-shoulder. Gray said that he still had a face mask in order to combat the spread of coronavirus, but most others did not.</p><p data-block-key=\"5t3de\">Gray was released at around 9:30 a.m. — nearly 11 hours after his arrest — with a desk appearance ticket for unlawful assembly, a misdemeanor punishable by up to three months in jail and a $500 fine.</p><p data-block-key=\"ovg5k\">When asked for comment, an NYPD spokesperson directed the Tracker to the “30 minute mark” of <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6eUFc_kltc\">a press briefing</a> held by New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner Dermot Shea on June 3.</p><p data-block-key=\"p3ewz\">Around that point in the recording, Shea says: “The only thing that I might add on the point of the press: We’re doing the best we can, the difficult situation. We 100 percent respect the rights of the press. Unfortunately we’ve had some people purporting to be press that are actually lying, if you can believe that. So sometimes these things take a second — maybe too long — to sort out.”</p><p data-block-key=\"3anau\">The Manhattan district attorney announced in a <a href=\"https://www.manhattanda.org/d-a-vance-declines-to-prosecute-protest-arrests/\">press release</a> on June 5 that his office would not prosecute unlawful assembly or disorderly conduct arrests.</p><p data-block-key=\"7mkcj\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting several hundred total incidents of journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd control ammunition or tear gas or who had their equipment damaged while covering protests across the country related to the death of George Floyd while in police custody. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
"teaser_image": "https://media.pressfreedomtracker.us/media/images/arrest_gray_0530_floyd.2e16d0ba.fill-1330x880.jpg",
"primary_video": null,
"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"iytu1\">British photojournalist Adam Gray is arrested near Union Square in New York City on May 30, 2020.</p>",
"arresting_authority": "New York City Police Department",
"arrest_status": "arrested and released",
"release_date": "2020-05-31",
"detention_date": null,
"unnecessary_use_of_force": true,
"case_number": "1:21-cv-06610",
"case_type": "CIVIL",
"status_of_seized_equipment": null,
"is_search_warrant_obtained": false,
"actor": "law enforcement",
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"assailant": "law enforcement",
"was_journalist_targeted": "unknown",
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{
"quantity": 1,
"equipment": "camera lens"
}
],
"state": {
"name": "New York",
"abbreviation": "NY"
},
"updates": [
"(2024-02-07 00:00:00+00:00) Judge accepts journalists’ settlement with NYPD",
"(2021-08-05 16:40:00+00:00) British photographer sues NYPD for unlawful arrest, police brutality",
"(2023-09-05 16:54:00+00:00) Journalists reach ‘historic’ settlement with NYPD in First Amendment suit",
"(2023-09-08 00:00:00+00:00) Judge voids First Amendment settlement with NYPD",
"(2025-04-09 00:00:00+00:00) Appeals court affirms photographers’ settlement with NYPD"
],
"case_statuses": [
"settled"
],
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"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"protest"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Arrest/Criminal Charge",
"Assault",
"Equipment Damage"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Adam Gray (SWNS [UK])"
],
"subpoena_statuses": [],
"type_of_denial": []
},
{
"title": "Journalist shoved by Denver police officer",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/journalist-shoved-denver-police-officer/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-09T03:46:49.944006Z",
"last_published_at": "2025-04-04T18:28:11.025494Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2025-04-04T18:28:10.938783Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Denver",
"longitude": -104.9847,
"latitude": 39.73915,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"orex6\">A journalist said he was shoved by a police officer while covering protests in Denver, Colorado, on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"ijkiw\">The protests were sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds during an arrest on May 25. Floyd was pronounced dead at a local hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"16ev7\">David Sachs, who reports for Denverite and Colorado Public Radio, said he was covering protests outside of the Colorado Supreme Court when he was caught between a line of police officers and a crowd of protesters.</p><p data-block-key=\"tdfmb\">He told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that police advanced toward the crowd, yelling “Move! Move! Move!” Sachs, who had his bicycle with him, said he showed the officers his press credentials, shouting the names of the two outlets he works for. He said an officer then shoved him twice in the back, shouting “Move!”</p><p data-block-key=\"wln6k\">Sachs picked up his bike and ran down a set of stairs leading to the street. “There was already gas or smoke there, but one or two fresh new canisters popped right in front of me,” he said. “I was choking. I couldn’t breathe for a good 20 or 30 seconds.”</p><p data-block-key=\"lzps9\">Sachs <a href=\"https://twitter.com/DavidASachs/status/1266920122893156353?s=20\">tweeted</a> about the experience once he reached safety.</p></div>\n<div class=\"block-tweet\"><div class=\"tweet-embed\">\n <div>\n <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Just got caught by courthouse on 14th and Lincoln. Police on one side, crowd on the other. Showed <a href=\"https://twitter.com/DenverPolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@DenverPolice</a> my press badge and told them I was with Denverite/CPR and one officer shoved me twice. Only place to go was into the street where I got gassed.</p>— Dave Sachs (@DavidASachs) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/DavidASachs/status/1266920122893156353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\n\n</div>\n\n</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"1vg4f\">An emailed request for comment from the Denver Police was not immediately returned.</p><p data-block-key=\"euhxz\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting several hundred total incidents of journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd-control ammunition or tear gas or had their equipment damaged while covering protests across the country related to the death of George Floyd while in police custody. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
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"assailant": "law enforcement",
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"state": {
"name": "Colorado",
"abbreviation": "CO"
},
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"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"chemical irritant",
"protest"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Assault"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"David Sachs (Denverite & Colorado Public Radio)"
],
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},
{
"title": "Photojournalist shot at with crowd-control munitions amid Minneapolis protest",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/photojournalist-shot-at-with-crowd-control-munitions-amid-minneapolis-protest/",
"first_published_at": "2021-11-22T14:42:39.730145Z",
"last_published_at": "2024-06-17T18:11:50.490321Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2024-06-17T18:11:50.381418Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Minneapolis",
"longitude": -93.26384,
"latitude": 44.97997,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"u05lo\">Peter Norton, photojournalist and founder of the production company RumJungle, was shot at with crowd-control munitions while covering protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"kii1g\">Protests began in Minnesota on May 26, sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a Black man, during an arrest the day before. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"j2ued\">According to CBS News sound engineer John Marschitz, Norton had been hired to assist a CBS crew that was covering the demonstrations. Shortly after the 8 p.m. curfew began, police began shooting rubber bullets and other crowd-control munitions at the crew.</p><p data-block-key=\"b5rig\">Marschitz told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that the news crew had retreated down the street and into the parking lot where the team's car was parked after police began deploying tear gas into the crowd. The protesters kept moving in the opposite direction, and were several hundred feet away when officers began shooting crowd-control munitions at the news crew.</p><p data-block-key=\"qrnxx\">"My colleagues and I were fired upon without warning and [were] clearly identifiable as journalists," Marschitz said. "We were no threat to law enforcement and in no way impeding them from doing their job. Then they just began firing rubber bullets at us."</p><p data-block-key=\"sgl7r\">One of the rounds <a href=\"https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/cbs-news-sound-engineer-struck-in-arm-by-rubber-bullet-while-covering-minneapolis-protests/\">struck Marschitz in the arm</a>; a second round struck a light on Norton’s camera, but did not damage the equipment. Norton could not be reached for comment as of press time.</p><p data-block-key=\"c9cw5\">When asked whether he felt police targeted the crew, Marschitz said, "I don't think they cared, they just shot at us."</p><p data-block-key=\"iyvb4\">More than three dozen journalists were<a href=\"https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/?city=Minneapolis&date_lower=2020-05-30&date_upper=2020-05-30\"> assaulted, arrested or had equipment damaged</a> while covering protests that night. The Minneapolis Police Department, Minnesota State Police and Minnesota National Guard did not reply to emailed requests for comment about these incidents.</p><p data-block-key=\"j2asi\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker documents journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd-control ammunition or tear gas or who had their equipment damaged in the course of reporting. Find all incidents related to Black Lives Matter and anti-police brutality protests <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
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"is_search_warrant_obtained": false,
"actor": null,
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"denial_of_entry": false,
"stopped_previously": false,
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"assailant": "law enforcement",
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"charged_under_espionage_act": false,
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"state": {
"name": "Minnesota",
"abbreviation": "MN"
},
"updates": [],
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"target_nationality": [],
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"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"protest",
"shot / shot at"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Assault"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Peter Norton (RumJungle)"
],
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},
{
"title": "Phoenix television reporter hit by projectile; news van vandalized",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/phoenix-television-reporter-hit-projectile-news-van-vandalized/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-09T03:05:33.331964Z",
"last_published_at": "2024-06-17T17:32:05.713309Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2024-06-17T17:32:05.598198Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Phoenix",
"longitude": -112.07404,
"latitude": 33.44838,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"5rvnd\">Phoenix television reporter Josh Sanders was hit in the thigh with a rubber projectile while reporting across from police headquarters on protests in the city on May 30, 2020. Sanders and his crew were unable to retrieve their news vehicle due to the protests, and found it vandalized the next morning.</p><p data-block-key=\"ke7as\">The protests were sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, for 8 minutes and 46 seconds during an arrest on May 25. Floyd was pronounced dead at a local hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"4pvk5\">Sanders, a reporter for 12 News, Phoenix's NBC affiliate, was standing outside of Phoenix Police Department headquarters when police fired the projectile, hitting him in the thigh. In a <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgcKkVpMu9Q\">live broadcast</a> after the incident, he said the impact was “very painful” and that he didn’t know why police shot in his crew’s direction.</p><p data-block-key=\"39sqg\">Later, he found another such projectile on the ground and posted the photo to Twitter.</p></div>\n<div class=\"block-tweet\"><div class=\"tweet-embed\">\n <div>\n <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This is a picture of what the rubber ball looks like that Phoenix Police fired in our direction earlier hitting me in the left thigh. <a href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/12News?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#12News</a> <a href=\"https://t.co/uvsci1laop\">pic.twitter.com/uvsci1laop</a></p>— JOSH SANDERS (@JoshSandersTV) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/JoshSandersTV/status/1266984856107376641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\n\n</div>\n\n</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"ckig2\">He also posted a picture of his thigh, with a large pink, red and purple bruise.</p></div>\n<div class=\"block-tweet\"><div class=\"tweet-embed\">\n <div>\n <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The aftermath of being hit by a Phoenix Police rubber ball night 3 of the protests. <a href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/12News?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#12News</a> <a href=\"https://t.co/7K5q3Tp1WD\">pic.twitter.com/7K5q3Tp1WD</a></p>— JOSH SANDERS (@JoshSandersTV) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/JoshSandersTV/status/1267039352778928128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\n\n</div>\n\n</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"xi1gg\">Sanders did not immediately reply to an interview request from the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker.</p><p data-block-key=\"it2w3\">Sanders wrote on Twitter that because of the protests his crew could not retrieve its 12 News car parked outside of Phoenix City Hall until the next morning. When 12 News retrieved it, it had been tagged in black paint with George Floyd’s name.</p></div>\n<div class=\"block-tweet\"><div class=\"tweet-embed\">\n <div>\n <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">We had to leave one of our news cars outside of Phoenix City Hall last night due to the protests. <br><br>This morning you can see the name George Floyd in graffiti sprayed on the side of the car. <a href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/12News?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#12News</a> <a href=\"https://t.co/wjPCOhzyg0\">pic.twitter.com/wjPCOhzyg0</a></p>— JOSH SANDERS (@JoshSandersTV) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/JoshSandersTV/status/1267153256536408066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\n\n</div>\n\n</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"b9rt1\">In an emailed response to a request for comment, Phoenix Police Department spokeswoman Mercedes A. Fortune wrote that she has not briefed on that specific incident.</p><p data-block-key=\"ve9md\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting several hundred total incidents of journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd control ammunition or tear gas or had their equipment damaged while covering protests across the country related to the death of George Floyd while in police custody. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
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{
"title": "Independent journalist hit with projectile, shield while covering DC protests",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/independent-journalist-hit-projectile-shield-while-covering-dc-protests/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-08T18:23:50.366538Z",
"last_published_at": "2024-06-17T17:31:22.225613Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2024-06-17T17:31:22.117758Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Washington",
"longitude": -77.03637,
"latitude": 38.89511,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"g3nf1\">Journalist Jenn Dize said law enforcement officers shot her with a projectile and pushed her to the ground twice, causing her to lose her grip on her equipment, while covering protests for progressive independent outlet <a href=\"https://statuscoup.com/\">Status Coup</a> in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"xuyja\">Protests that began in Minnesota on May 26 have spread across the country, sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest the day before. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"xtax1\">Dize, the co-founder of Status Coup, was livestreaming the protests near Lafayette Square park on YouTube, when someone lobbed an object at police. The livestream shows police firing at the crowd. Dize was shot in the right arm by a projectile; she believes it may have been a pepper ball, she told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker. The projectile left her arm bruised with a red, raised welt. Dize, who was standing outside a crowd at the time, was wearing Status Coup press credentials and was carrying a monopod and microphone. "They had to have been aiming at me," she told the Tracker.</p><p data-block-key=\"932ox\">Based on the design of officers’ shields in the livestream, they appear to be with the United States Park Police. Park Police spokesman Sergeant Eduardo Delgado told the Tracker via email that this was the first he had heard of this incident; he did not provide comment on Dize’s claims.</p><p data-block-key=\"ftu6o\">Dize continued reporting. A few hours later, she said she was <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSgHRltRp8w&t\">livestreaming</a> a burning vehicle and interviewing onlookers when someone lobbed a firecracker at the feet of police. Dize started to leave, but stopped to help a protester who had fallen down.</p><p data-block-key=\"ub7sd\">Law enforcement officers advanced toward the crowd, and Dize said one of them knocked her down with his riot shield. Her monopod, phone, and microphone slipped from her fingers. She could see her phone a short distance away on the sidewalk.</p><p data-block-key=\"kq3l1\">“I didn’t want to make any sudden moves, so I asked the officers ‘Can I bend down and pick up my phone?’” she told the Tracker.</p><p data-block-key=\"fofyc\">The officer who had initially knocked her down reacted by ramming her multiple times in the upper body with his shield, knocking her onto her right hip, she said.</p><p data-block-key=\"xxm58\">"I will never forget the look on the cop's face who was attacking me," she said. “He did not care.”</p><p data-block-key=\"kr9m0\">Protesters intervened, grabbing her underneath her arms and helping her reach safety. “My hip is quite sore still, and all my equipment is lost,” she said. Her phone, which she could not locate, continued to livestream for 90 additional minutes. Status Coup edited a <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXmIH9JcSUU&feature=youtu.be\">short video</a> on YouTube including footage from Dize’s perspective as she was knocked down the first time.</p><p data-block-key=\"uebhm\">The Tracker shared a screenshot from the video with Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia spokesperson Alaina Gertz, who confirmed that the officers depicted were part of its force. Gertz did not respond to a request for comment about Dize’s claims.</p><p data-block-key=\"hwkux\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting several hundred total incidents of journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd control ammunition or tear gas or had their equipment damaged while covering protests across the country related to the death of George Floyd while in police custody. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p><p data-block-key=\"g6rg6\"><i>This article has been updated to reflect that Dize was hit in the right arm with a projectile, not the left arm as originally reported.</i></p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
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"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"liw5r\">U.S. Park Police and protesters gather near the White House on May 30, 2020, in Washington, D.C.</p>",
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{
"quantity": 1,
"equipment": "camera equipment"
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{
"quantity": 1,
"equipment": "cellphone"
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{
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"name": "District of Columbia",
"abbreviation": "DC"
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"Black Lives Matter",
"chemical irritant",
"protest",
"shot / shot at"
],
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"categories": [
"Assault",
"Equipment Damage"
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{
"title": "Freelance photojournalist hit in eye with projectile amid DC protest",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/journalists-covering-protests-hit-eye-leg-projectiles-fired-police/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-08T03:09:10.020317Z",
"last_published_at": "2024-06-17T17:30:55.376728Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2024-06-17T17:30:55.283767Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Washington",
"longitude": -77.03637,
"latitude": 38.89511,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"1to3i\">Freelance photojournalist Wil Sands was struck with crowd-control munitions while covering protests in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"npxgw\">The protests were sparked by a video showing a Minneapolis, Minnesota, police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a Black man, for 7 minutes and 46 seconds during an arrest on May 25. Floyd was pronounced dead at a local hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"feyye\">Sands, who is based in Richmond, Virginia, was covering protests near the AFL-CIO building when tensions began rising around 11 p.m., he told the Committee to Protect Journalists, a founding partner of the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker. Individuals had set some vehicles ablaze and Sands began planning how to leave the area. He was standing behind a light post looking at his cellphone when a flying object he suspects to have been a tear gas canister bounced off the light post before hitting him squarely in the face, on his right eye. The Tracker could not confirm the type of object he was hit with.</p><p data-block-key=\"uyjx1\">A street medic in the crowd quickly found him and put gauze over the wound, and told Sands he needed to go to the hospital. Sands walked to the police cordon and, after seeing his wound, they let him through. “I pulled off the gauze, their faces changed, and the commanding officer allowed me to pass through," Sands said.</p><p data-block-key=\"ef1ek\">He told CPJ that he believes the object that hit him was launched from an area where D.C. police officers had been standing. There were officers from multiple law enforcement agencies operating in the general area at the time, according to <a href=\"https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/protesters-police-tear-gas-flames-damage-looting-the-aftermath-of-saturdays-justice-for-george-floyd-protests/65-37f183ba-2d89-421d-8edd-24b9b00502bc\">news reports</a>. Sands, a member of<a href=\"http://www.fracturesphoto.com/\"> Fractures Collective</a>, was wearing a press pass at the time he was hit.</p><p data-block-key=\"cgcgk\">He wrote in a series of <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CA_R1K3jP9L/\">Instagram posts</a> that he spent 16 hours in the emergency room, and suffered a partially torn retina and damaged cornea. He had surgery on <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CA_URImj611/\">his right eye</a> on June 1.</p><p data-block-key=\"cr6qy\">"My retina was reattached, a silicone band was permanently inserted around my eyeball, and a bubble of gas was inflated behind the retina," he wrote. "It is unclear how much of my sight in my right eyes [sic] I will get back."</p><p data-block-key=\"sokax\">Alaina Gertz, a D.C. police spokeswoman, declined to comment on the incident that led to Sands’ injury.</p><p data-block-key=\"m5rpq\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker documents journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd-control ammunition or tear gas or who had their equipment damaged in the course of reporting. Find all incidents related to Black Lives Matter and anti-police brutality protests <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
"teaser_image": "https://media.pressfreedomtracker.us/media/images/RTS39L8O.2e16d0ba.fill-1330x880.jpg",
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"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"dy64d\">Protesters near the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2020.</p>",
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"assailant": "law enforcement",
"was_journalist_targeted": "unknown",
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"shot / shot at"
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{
"title": "Head wound, bruised lung and concussion for photographer covering Phoenix protests",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/head-wound-bruised-lung-and-concussion-photographer-covering-phoenix-protests/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-07T04:48:09.419681Z",
"last_published_at": "2025-04-04T17:54:56.114092Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2025-04-04T17:54:56.018107Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Phoenix",
"longitude": -112.07404,
"latitude": 33.44838,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"4kbj5\">Freelance photographer <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thomasMachowicz/\">Thomas Machowicz</a> was shot with three rubber projectiles by Phoenix police, resulting in a gash on his scalp, a concussion, and a bruised lung, as he was photographing protests in the city on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"mk5h2\">The protests were sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, for eight minutes and 46 seconds during an arrest in Minneapolis on May 25. Floyd was pronounced dead at a local hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"7vogt\">Machowicz was taking photographs in front of the headquarters of the Phoenix Police Department at roughly 10:15 p.m. when protesters began to lob fireworks at police, and police responded by shooting tear gas, pepper balls, and projectiles into the crowd, Machowicz told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker in an interview.</p><p data-block-key=\"pquac\">“I realized I was in a bad spot,” Machowicz said. As he ran away from the headquarters through a cloud of tear gas, camera in hand, police began shooting rubber projectiles in his direction. The first two projectiles hit Machowicz’s lower back and the side of his ribcage. In pain, he fell down. A few seconds later as he was lying on the ground, a third projectile hit him on the back of his head, ripping an inch-long gash into his scalp, he said.</p><p data-block-key=\"oqofy\">Video of the assault was captured by ABC15 Arizona news and aired live on television.</p><p data-block-key=\"w1klb\">“When I got hit in the head, I couldn’t make decisions anymore. I just curled up into the fetal position,” Machowicz said. A few seconds passed before a bystander picked Machowicz up under the arms and carried him to a safe distance from the protest.</p><p data-block-key=\"qmp8i\">After bystanders alerted police to his condition, Machowicz said police accompanied him for a block where he was told an ambulance would arrive. When it didn’t, police drove him to a fire station, where an ambulance took him to a hospital. The process took 30 minutes, he said, during which his head wound bled profusely.</p><p data-block-key=\"vbb4u\">At the hospital, Machowicz said he received four staples to close his head wound, and was diagnosed with a concussion and a bruised lung.</p><p data-block-key=\"jmbs1\">“I definitely have some trauma from it that’s still sinking in,” he said.</p><p data-block-key=\"zlky4\">Machowicz recounted the incident in an <a href=\"https://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/valley-photographer-injured-in-phoenix-protest-released-from-hospital\">interview</a> with Melissa Blasius, the ABC15 Arizona journalist who captured the assault on camera.</p><p data-block-key=\"bpijk\">Mercedes Fortune, a public information officer for the Phoenix Police Department, wrote in response to an emailed request for comment that people in the group were throwing rocks, bottles, incendiary devices and fireworks during the incident.</p><p data-block-key=\"oa7bm\">“Every attempt is made to identify the suspect(s) responsible for those actions unfortunately it is very difficult during these chaotic encounters. Several announcements were given to everyone to leave the area. … There is no sure way to control the actions of a large group of people who make a conscious decision to ignore the repeated announcements and direction by law enforcement officials.”</p><p data-block-key=\"dj67h\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting several hundred total incidents of journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd-control ammunition or tear gas or had their equipment damaged while covering protests across the country related to the death of George Floyd while in police custody. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
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"primary_video": null,
"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"dnfi4\">Rocks and fireworks were among the objects hurled at the headquarters of the Phoenix Police Department on May 30, 2020.</p>",
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"assailant": "law enforcement",
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"state": {
"name": "Arizona",
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},
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"shot / shot at"
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{
"title": "New York radio reporter assaulted after reporting live from looted liquor store",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/new-york-radio-reporter-assaulted-after-reporting-live-looted-liquor-store/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-07T04:06:44.836681Z",
"last_published_at": "2024-06-10T20:39:20.163157Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2024-06-10T20:39:20.078667Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "New York",
"longitude": -74.00597,
"latitude": 40.71427,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"bi357\">Darius Radzius, a New York radio reporter, was attacked by an unknown assailant in Brooklyn, New York on May 30, 2020, shortly after finishing a live radio broadcast.</p><p data-block-key=\"zvu76\">Radzius was covering the ongoing protests in Brooklyn for New York radio station 1010 WINS. Protests that began in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 26 spread across the country, sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest the day before. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"1yd11\">While Radzius was reporting alone, he told the Committee to Protect Journalists in a phone interview that he was near a group of reporters during the protests. The protest, one of many that took place across New York City on May 30, began at around 3 p.m. near Prospect Park and continued south to the Brooklyn neighborhood of Flatbush. Radzius characterized the protest as “largely peaceful” in a statement about the incident that he wrote for the police that he provided to CPJ. Radzius said in his interview and in the statement that he had a 1010 WINS microphone and people told him they liked the station and thanked him for reporting on the protest.</p><p data-block-key=\"x9naw\">Radzius was carrying press credentials, but they were not displayed, he told CPJ. His 1010 WINS microphone flag was large and identified him clearly as media, he said.</p><p data-block-key=\"srqbf\">According to Radzius’ statement to the police, a few hours into the protest, he followed a group of people who left the central location of the protest, thinking them to be protesters. The group and Radzius walked to College Wine and Liquors, a liquor store in Flatbush. Radzius witnessed a group of people loot the store, and filmed the entire incident on his cellphone for 30 seconds, before the store owner locked the door. Radzius <a href=\"https://twitter.com/DariusRadzius/status/1266937831383015424\">tweeted</a> a video clip of the looting.</p><p data-block-key=\"yg0t0\">Radzius called his editor at 1010 WINS to tell him about the looting and joined a live radio broadcast from the scene at 6:32 p.m. A few seconds after signing off, Radzius was approached by a woman who asked him who he was talking to, according to his statement. Radzius responded that he was talking to “all New Yorkers on the radio.” A few seconds later, Radzius says he heard a male voice shout, “Snitch.” Radzius was then struck from behind on the right side of his upper face.</p><p data-block-key=\"hfb1p\">Radzius does not know who hit him. A witness told him that the attacker was a man, and that he struck Radzius with an unidentified object.</p><p data-block-key=\"lm7gp\">After being hit, Radzius says he was “stunned.” He received medical assistance at the scene from a woman who identified herself as a nurse. He later went to the hospital. He sustained injuries to his face that required five stitches above his eye on the eyebrow. Radzius also has significant bruising around his right eye, and has injuries to his hands. He later <a href=\"https://twitter.com/DariusRadzius/status/1266939308650438657\">tweeted photos</a> of his injuries.</p><p data-block-key=\"2vm73\">Radizus told CPJ that he thinks he was targeted for being a journalist. “What does a journalist do? They report on the news, and they didn’t like that I was reporting on the looting,” he said.</p><p data-block-key=\"k4cf9\">CPJ contacted the NYPD for comment and to ask if they are investigating the incident. They said there is a complaint report on file for assault and detectives are investigating.</p><p data-block-key=\"qz703\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting several hundred total incidents of journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd control ammunition or tear gas or had their equipment damaged while covering protests across the country related to the death of George Floyd while in police custody. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
"teaser_image": "https://media.pressfreedomtracker.us/media/images/Radzius_assault_Floyd_protest.2e16d0ba.fill-1330x880.jpg",
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"assailant": "private individual",
"was_journalist_targeted": "yes",
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"state": {
"name": "New York",
"abbreviation": "NY"
},
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"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"protest"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Assault"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Darius Radzius (WINS)"
],
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},
{
"title": "Police officer strikes Unicorn Riot journalist’s phone with baton",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/police-officer-strikes-unicorn-riot-journalists-phone-with-baton/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-06T03:19:23.429500Z",
"last_published_at": "2024-06-10T20:38:55.412186Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2024-06-10T20:38:55.310942Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Philadelphia",
"longitude": -75.16362,
"latitude": 39.95238,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"wg7a9\">On May 30, 2020, a police officer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, struck Unicorn Riot journalist Chris Schiano’s phone with a baton while Schiano was covering an arrest.</p><p data-block-key=\"ca9ck\">Protests that began in Minnesota on May 26 have spread across the country, sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest the day before. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"2zoex\">The incident occurred around 10 p.m. on the night of May 30, while Schiano was covering a group of police officers arresting a young black man. He had been live-streaming the protests for Unicorn Riot, a non-profit media collective based in <a href=\"https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-tiny-media-collective-that-is-delivering-some-of-the-most-vital-reporting-from-minneapolis\">known for its extensive and sympathetic coverage of street demonstrations</a>.</p><p data-block-key=\"esqbq\">Unicorn Riot later published a video on Twitter showing Schiano’s interaction with the police officers.</p></div>\n<div class=\"block-tweet\"><div class=\"tweet-embed\">\n <div>\n <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Philly police pin young black man to the ground with their knees, swat our field reporter with a baton for filming the scene.<br><br>"Beat it."<br><br>"I'm a journalist, sir!"<br><br>"I don't care what you are. Beat it." <a href=\"https://t.co/llguNcdTlx\">pic.twitter.com/llguNcdTlx</a></p>— Unicorn Riot (@UR_Ninja) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/UR_Ninja/status/1266913490301792257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\n\n</div>\n\n</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"0hh7l\">As seen in the video, Schiano approached the officers, who had pinned the young man to the ground. As Schiano moved closer to document the man’s arrest, an officer appeared and waved his baton at Schiano.</p><p data-block-key=\"wvmu6\">Schiano identified himself as a journalist, and the officer said, “I don’t care what you are, beat it!” and struck his phone with his baton, bringing the video to an abrupt end.</p><p data-block-key=\"c7cnn\">Schiano said that, after he was forced to stop filming, one of the officers told him, “You’re not essential,” and suggested that he was in violation of Philadelphia’s 8 p.m. curfew. The curfew, which exempts “persons with essential duties,” is not supposed to apply to members of the media.</p><p data-block-key=\"w6hfo\">Schiano told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that he was wearing a press pass during the incident. He said the altercation was “fairly minor” and he did not suffer any injuries, but he was upset that the police stopped him from documenting an arrest.</p><p data-block-key=\"al6dh\">“This seems fairly egregious if the First Amendment is supposed to be real,” he said.</p><p data-block-key=\"wsozo\">Schiano said that Philadelphia police officers similarly attacked him with batons in 2016, while he was documenting protests around the Democratic National Convention, and in 2018, while he was documenting a demonstration outside of a federal prison.</p><p data-block-key=\"69sqp\">“Cops here are quite proficient swatting phone cameras with those little metal batons,” he said. “It was clearly a motion they are used to making for the specific reason of not getting filmed.”</p><p data-block-key=\"ett1l\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting several hundred total incidents of journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd control ammunition or tear gas or had their equipment damaged while covering protests across the country related to the death of George Floyd while in police custody. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
"teaser_image": "https://media.pressfreedomtracker.us/media/images/Screen_Shot_2020-06-05_at_10.07.3.2e16d0ba.fill-1330x880.png",
"primary_video": null,
"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"wd5jv\">While filming an arrest during protests in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a police officer knocked the phone from Unicorn Riot journalist Chris Schiano’s hand with a baton, ending his recording.</p>",
"arresting_authority": null,
"arrest_status": null,
"release_date": null,
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"case_number": null,
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"actor": "law enforcement",
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"stopped_previously": false,
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"assailant": "law enforcement",
"was_journalist_targeted": "yes",
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"links": [],
"equipment_seized": [],
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{
"quantity": 1,
"equipment": "cellphone"
}
],
"state": {
"name": "Pennsylvania",
"abbreviation": "PA"
},
"updates": [],
"case_statuses": [],
"workers_whose_communications_were_obtained": [],
"target_nationality": [],
"targeted_institutions": [],
"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"protest"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Assault",
"Equipment Damage"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Christopher Schiano (Unicorn Riot)"
],
"subpoena_statuses": [],
"type_of_denial": []
},
{
"title": "Freelance journalist arrested amid Los Angeles protests",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/freelance-journalist-arrested-amid-los-angeles-protests/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-04T13:32:13.544709Z",
"last_published_at": "2025-04-04T18:28:53.068020Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2025-04-04T18:28:52.966134Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Los Angeles",
"longitude": -118.24368,
"latitude": 34.05223,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"8jxxa\">Los Angeles police officers arrested freelance journalist Oren Peleg while he was covering protests in the city on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"mtc9y\">Protests that began in Minnesota on May 26 spread across the country, sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest the day before. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"u1mng\">Peleg told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that he was reporting on protests in downtown Los Angeles that had been declared an unlawful assembly the day before.</p><p data-block-key=\"q5iq0\">At approximately 7:10 p.m., officers advanced on the crowd of approximately 20 protesters, blocking off all exits and forming a kettle. As police squeezed in on them, one of the protesters called out for everyone to sit down, at which point Peleg said he identified himself to police as a member of the press.</p><p data-block-key=\"q5bso\">“They told me it was too late, that ‘you’re already here, you’re already part of this, we gave you an hour to disperse, so now central booking will take care of you,’” Peleg said.</p><p data-block-key=\"m58m5\">He said that at no point did he hear officers give an order for the crowd to disperse.</p><p data-block-key=\"vjljn\">Officers zip-tied Peleg along with the rest of the protesters and told him to sit down on a curb to await a city bus to come by to transfer all of them to Metropolitan Detention Center.</p><p data-block-key=\"k91iv\">After approximately 30 minutes, the bus had still not arrived, Peleg said, and all of the arrestees were processed in the field. He provided an officer with his address, phone, email, license ID, social security number, and employer, and said police wrote his identifying information on an arrest card.</p><p data-block-key=\"734o7\">Peleg said he does not know whether charges for failure to disperse have been brought against him. He said an officer told him not to worry about the card, and that nothing would happen with it.</p><p data-block-key=\"8r587\">“When they released us, [the officers] said, ‘We’re releasing you now. If any are detained again you will be arrested and sent to jail,’” Peleg said.</p><p data-block-key=\"j11gy\">The Los Angeles Police Department told the Tracker that it does not have any information about Peleg’s arrest at this time.</p><p data-block-key=\"e7epd\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting damage of equipment and multiple journalists arrested or struck by crowd-control ammunition or tear gas while covering related protests across the country. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
"teaser_image": null,
"primary_video": null,
"image_caption": "",
"arresting_authority": "Los Angeles Police Department",
"arrest_status": "detained and released without being processed",
"release_date": null,
"detention_date": null,
"unnecessary_use_of_force": false,
"case_number": null,
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"assailant": null,
"was_journalist_targeted": null,
"charged_under_espionage_act": false,
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"mistakenly_released_materials": false,
"links": [],
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"state": {
"name": "California",
"abbreviation": "CA"
},
"updates": [],
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"workers_whose_communications_were_obtained": [],
"target_nationality": [],
"targeted_institutions": [],
"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"protest"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Arrest/Criminal Charge"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Oren Peleg (Freelance)"
],
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"type_of_denial": []
},
{
"title": "NBC producer, group of journalists targeted in assault by state patrol",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/nbc-producer-group-journalists-targeted-assault-state-patrol/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-04T03:57:05.140721Z",
"last_published_at": "2025-04-03T20:53:42.671506Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2025-04-03T20:53:42.536370Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Minneapolis",
"longitude": -93.26384,
"latitude": 44.97997,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"bfvux\">Minnesota State Patrol fired tear gas, pepper spray, and concussion grenades at NBC journalist and producer Ed Ou and a group of other journalists in Minneapolis on May 30, 2020, Ou told the Committee to Protect Journalists via phone.</p><p data-block-key=\"jzjv4\">The journalists were covering ongoing protests in the city sparked by the alleged police killing of George Floyd, a black man, on May 25.</p><p data-block-key=\"7soev\">Ou told CPJ that the journalists were standing apart from the protesters in an indented section of a brick wall when troopers <a href=\"https://pressfreedomtracker.us/physical-attack/\">assaulted</a> them. Ou said that he held up his press badge and screamed “Press!” but the patrol continued the assault.</p><p data-block-key=\"45z8q\">"We were very explicit about saying we were press and we were nowhere close to any protesters or anyone else," Ou told CPJ. "They kept on throwing concussion grenades at us. They came up to us and maced me or pepper sprayed me on my camera and my face."</p><p data-block-key=\"ru8wz\">Ou, who was videotaping the protest, told CPJ that he was hit in the head. He said he couldn’t see the weapon or projectile as his eyes were blurred by tear gas and pepper spray. He said he stumbled past law enforcement officers asking for help, but none provided assistance. Eventually, a colleague found him, he said.</p><p data-block-key=\"ck88v\">Ou told CPJ he later went to a hospital and received four stitches in his head.</p><p data-block-key=\"0xlc4\">Ou said that troopers damaged his equipment in the assault. He said the XLR connector between his microphone and camera was damaged, one of his lens filters was cracked, and a UV filter is no longer usable. He said that he can no longer safely use his microphone because pepper spray reached the microphone through the windsock. His gas mask, he added, is now unusable even with a new filter because of the large amount of pepper spray that entered it.</p><p data-block-key=\"4qdke\">CPJ emailed Minnesota State Patrol for comment but did not receive an immediate reply. It also called the patrol’s press center but was unable to leave a message because the voicemail box was full.</p><p data-block-key=\"0vfuy\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting damage of equipment and multiple journalists arrested or struck by crowd control ammunition or tear gas while covering related protests across the country. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
"teaser_image": "https://media.pressfreedomtracker.us/media/images/Screen_Shot_2020-06-03_at_10.35.3.2e16d0ba.fill-1330x880.png",
"primary_video": null,
"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"7qxpp\">A video posted to Twitter by journalist Ed Ou shows Minnesota State Patrol troopers coming upon Ou and a group of journalists and spraying them with tear gas and pepper spray during protests on May 30 in Minneapolis.</p>",
"arresting_authority": null,
"arrest_status": null,
"release_date": null,
"detention_date": null,
"unnecessary_use_of_force": false,
"case_number": "0:20-cv-01302",
"case_type": "CLASS_ACTION",
"status_of_seized_equipment": null,
"is_search_warrant_obtained": false,
"actor": "law enforcement",
"border_point": null,
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"assailant": "law enforcement",
"was_journalist_targeted": "yes",
"charged_under_espionage_act": false,
"subpoena_type": null,
"name_of_business": null,
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"mistakenly_released_materials": false,
"links": [],
"equipment_seized": [],
"equipment_broken": [
{
"quantity": 2,
"equipment": "camera equipment"
},
{
"quantity": 1,
"equipment": "miscellaneous equipment"
},
{
"quantity": 1,
"equipment": "protective equipment"
},
{
"quantity": 1,
"equipment": "recording equipment"
}
],
"state": {
"name": "Minnesota",
"abbreviation": "MN"
},
"updates": [
"(2022-02-08 11:58:00+00:00) Journalists reach settlement agreement with Minnesota State Patrol, rest of suit ongoing",
"(2021-09-28 00:00:00+00:00) NBC journalist sues following arrest while covering Minneapolis protest",
"(2024-02-08 00:00:00+00:00) Journalists get nearly $1M settlement over Minneapolis BLM protest attacks"
],
"case_statuses": [
"ongoing",
"settled"
],
"workers_whose_communications_were_obtained": [],
"target_nationality": [],
"targeted_institutions": [],
"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"chemical irritant",
"protest",
"shot / shot at"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Assault",
"Equipment Damage"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Ed Ou (NBC News)"
],
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},
{
"title": "Photojournalist arrested covering Dallas protests, camera equipment seized",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/photojournalist-arrested-covering-dallas-protests-camera-equipment-seized/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-04T03:20:43.248216Z",
"last_published_at": "2025-04-14T13:25:20.657557Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2025-04-14T13:25:20.549754Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Dallas",
"longitude": -96.80667,
"latitude": 32.78306,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"3spmf\">Freelance photojournalist <a href=\"https://chrisrusanowsky.com/\">Christopher Rusanowsky</a> was arrested by Dallas police while on assignment for Zuma Press documenting protests in the city on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"raxxm\">Protests that began in Minnesota on May 26 have spread across the country, sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a Black man, during an arrest the day before. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"3ct7q\">Rusanowsky, 29, told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that he was booked in Dallas County jail on a count of obstructing a highway or other passageway and was held overnight. He was released on bail the following day.</p><p data-block-key=\"qk02i\">The count is a <a href=\"https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.42.htm\">Class B misdemeanor</a> in Texas, according to the Texas penal code. If convicted, he could face <a href=\"https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.12.htm\">up to 180 days in jail, and a fine of up to $2,000</a>.</p><p data-block-key=\"43ujm\">Rusanowsky denies that he was obstructing a highway. He said he had been photographing a group of protesters as they blocked traffic on Interstate 35E.</p><p data-block-key=\"rwe80\">He said he stepped across the highway guardrail and onto the shoulder to take photographs, taking care not to step into the lanes of traffic. Soon after he moved to a grassy area near the interstate to photograph protesters.</p><p data-block-key=\"e5hxg\">Rusanowsky said he began to take photographs of a police officer shooting nonlethal ammunition at a protester at close range when the officer began pointing and yelling at him. He said the officer told him, “You are going to jail too!”</p><p data-block-key=\"eygds\">In response, Rusanowsky said he held up his two cameras and showed the officer his Zuma-issued press credentials. Rusanowsky said the officer replied, “Yeah, yeah. Press, press. You are going to jail.”</p><p data-block-key=\"eolzu\">The officer then threw him to the ground, he said, where another officer handcuffed him.</p><p data-block-key=\"uqxkg\">He said an officer seized his cameras and four lenses. He later retrieved the items from police headquarters; he said they do not appear to be damaged.</p><p data-block-key=\"c8up5\">He was booked into Dallas County jail at 11:38 p.m., according to booking records reviewed by U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, and was released after posting $300 bail the next day. He <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/christopher.rusanowsky/posts/1125118381190803\">posted on Facebook</a> about his release.</p><p data-block-key=\"1zghr\">The experience has left him shaken, he said. “I’m terrified of cops right now,” he said.</p><p data-block-key=\"xs59s\">“I don’t have training in hostile environment situations,” he said. “This makes me feel very vulnerable. But I believe in this job so much and I want to do this to give people voices.”</p><p data-block-key=\"nz0oy\">An emailed request for comment on Rusanowsky’s arrest to the Dallas Police Department was not immediately returned.</p><p data-block-key=\"y4efm\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting damage of equipment and multiple journalists arrested or struck by crowd control ammunition or tear gas while covering related protests across the country. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
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"teaser_image": "https://media.pressfreedomtracker.us/media/images/Image_from_iOS_sFK12jH.2e16d0ba.fill-1330x880.jpg",
"primary_video": null,
"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"zlhxz\">Tom Fox, photographer for The Dallas Morning News, captured the arrest of photojournalist Christopher Rusanowsky while both were documenting protests on May 30, 2020, in Dallas, Texas.</p>",
"arresting_authority": "Dallas Police Department",
"arrest_status": "arrested and released",
"release_date": "2020-05-31",
"detention_date": "2020-05-30",
"unnecessary_use_of_force": false,
"case_number": "3:22-cv-01132",
"case_type": "CIVIL",
"status_of_seized_equipment": "returned in full",
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"mistakenly_released_materials": false,
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"equipment_seized": [
{
"quantity": 1,
"equipment": "camera"
},
{
"quantity": 4,
"equipment": "camera lens"
}
],
"equipment_broken": [],
"state": {
"name": "Texas",
"abbreviation": "TX"
},
"updates": [
"(2020-07-01 21:34:00+00:00) Charges dropped against photojournalist arrested covering Dallas protests",
"(2022-05-23 12:52:00+00:00) Photojournalist sues Dallas Police Department, officer following 2020 arrest",
"(2025-03-19 00:00:00+00:00) Photojournalist’s suit against Dallas Police Department dismissed"
],
"case_statuses": [
"dismissed"
],
"workers_whose_communications_were_obtained": [],
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"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"protest"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Arrest/Criminal Charge",
"Equipment Search or Seizure"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Christopher Rusanowsky (Zuma Press)"
],
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"type_of_denial": []
},
{
"title": "Freelance journalist struck in back by police while covering protests in Brooklyn",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/freelance-journalist-struck-back-police-while-covering-protests-brooklyn/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-03T03:51:35.918581Z",
"last_published_at": "2025-02-06T17:25:41.174111Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2025-02-06T17:25:41.071398Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "New York",
"longitude": -74.00597,
"latitude": 40.71427,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"8c7pq\">NYPD officers struck freelance journalist Leila Barghouty in the back while she was covering protests in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Flatbush on the night of May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"kgceu\">The protest was among the many demonstrations held in the city sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest on May 25. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"cso8f\">Barghouty tweeted a <a href=\"https://twitter.com/PLBarghouty/status/1266923590739427330\">video</a> at 10:44 p.m. showing a group of journalists and protesters following police orders to move out of the way and along a sidewalk, with text saying, “Here’s us being super chill before we got clocked in the back for no reason.”</p><p data-block-key=\"que0g\">After she stopped recording that video, “We got pushed by a shield. I felt it on my whole back and arms,” Barghouty told the Committee to Protect Journalists in a phone interview. She said she had “a lot of bruises” from the attack.</p><p data-block-key=\"64qu4\">Barghouty said she repeatedly identified herself as a journalist during the attack, and was holding up her press pass.</p><p data-block-key=\"nigj6\">She told CPJ that she did not believe police targeted her, but instead simply did not distinguish between protesters and members of the media.</p><p data-block-key=\"6kjp8\">Earlier that night, NYPD officers only retaliated against protesters who came close to them, she told CPJ, saying she did not know why police abruptly turned aggressive.</p><p data-block-key=\"9u6sb\">“We were scared of the trample effect. People were falling down and the police were walking over them,” Barghouty said, adding that she stayed out reporting for another hour after the attack.</p><p data-block-key=\"nf7wn\">Barghouty said the assault occurred after officers <a href=\"https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/huffpost-reporter-arrested-while-covering-protest-brooklyn/\">arrested HuffPost reporter Christopher Mathias</a>; Barghouty <a href=\"https://twitter.com/PLBarghouty/status/1266923638822969344\">tweeted photos</a> of his arrest.</p><p data-block-key=\"ph4sn\">CPJ emailed the NYPD for comment, but did not receive an immediate response.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
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"arresting_authority": null,
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"assailant": "law enforcement",
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"state": {
"name": "New York",
"abbreviation": "NY"
},
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"targeted_institutions": [],
"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"protest"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Assault"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Leila Barghouty (Freelance)"
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},
{
"title": "HuffPost reporter arrested while covering protest in Brooklyn",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/huffpost-reporter-arrested-while-covering-protest-brooklyn/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-03T03:39:03.772761Z",
"last_published_at": "2024-06-17T17:28:48.527350Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2024-06-17T17:28:48.421997Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "New York",
"longitude": -74.00597,
"latitude": 40.71427,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"fbtm9\">Christopher Mathias, a senior reporter with HuffPost, was arrested by police while covering anti-racism protests in Brooklyn, New York, on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"u4cm8\">The protests in New York began as demonstrations spread across the country since May 26, sparked by a video of a white police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest. Floyd was pronounced dead at the hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"if5xu\">Mathias was covering protests in the Flatbush area on the night of May 30, where he <a href=\"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/more-protests-across-us-justice-george-floyd_n_5ed2e847c5b620016b08408f\">told HuffPost</a> that a dumpster and at least two police cars were set on fire when police began arresting people. Freelance journalist Phoebe Leila Barghouty posted<a href=\"https://twitter.com/PLBarghouty/status/1266922618122354690\"> photos on Twitter</a> that appeared to show a New York City police officer restraining Mathias shortly before 11 p.m. and<a href=\"https://twitter.com/PLBarghouty/status/1266927400425832453\"> confirmed a short time later</a> that it was Mathias who had been detained.</p><p data-block-key=\"ii3zr\">In an interview with<a href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/business/media/reporters-protests-george-floyd.html?referringSource=articleShare&fbclid=IwAR1FJjZ1qUgPiZ1v8PKhNINtbEwC96ml8d5y1qVj9MhmO9eOGW_Dz04YAo4\"> The New York Times</a> about the incident, Mathias said that a police officer ran into him, telling him to move out of the way. Mathias told the Times that he insulted the officer, who then turned around and hit him in the stomach with a baton. Mathias was then taken into custody.</p><p data-block-key=\"a016v\">Mathias was wearing a press badge at the time of his arrest, according to<a href=\"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/huffpost-reporter-chris-mathias-arrested_n_5ed320d9c5b640cb8341c921\"> HuffPost</a> and photographs of the incident. Other journalists who witnessed police taking him into custody told HuffPost that Mathias was clearly identifying himself as a journalist.</p><p data-block-key=\"2o36q\">HuffPost reports that, according to Mathias’ wife, his phone was knocked from his hand during the encounter.</p><p data-block-key=\"tj7vk\">HuffPost condemned Mathias’ arrest <a href=\"https://twitter.com/HuffPost/status/1266934050415095808?s=20\">on Twitter</a> shortly after he was taken into custody and demanded he be released.</p><p data-block-key=\"blvc8\">Mathias was released from police custody at around 1 a.m. on May 31. The Times reports that he was issued a summons.</p><p data-block-key=\"kvmqy\">Mathias did not return requests for comment about his arrest and HuffPost did not immediately reply to an inquiry seeking more details. The New York City Police Department did not reply to a request for more information about the incident.</p><p data-block-key=\"thppj\">Mathias posted on Twitter on May 31 that he was home after he had been taken into custody. He did not offer details about his arrest, but described it as “bogus.”</p></div>\n<div class=\"block-tweet\"><div class=\"tweet-embed\">\n <div>\n <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I'm home & overwhelmed by all your messages of love & support. Thank you. <br><br>I'll explain more about my arrest later but for now just know it was bogus, as were the arrests of all the brave New Yorkers protesting against a police force that routinely terrorizes this city.</p>— Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/letsgomathias/status/1267137171301023744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\n\n</div>\n\n</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"u3buc\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting damage of equipment and multiple journalists arrested or struck by crowd control ammunition or tear gas while covering related protests across the country. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\"> here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
"teaser_image": "https://media.pressfreedomtracker.us/media/images/Mathais_arrest_barghouty.2e16d0ba.fill-1330x880.jpg",
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"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"ywjz0\">The arrest of HuffPost senior reporter Christopher Mathias during protests in New York on May 30, 2020, was captured by freelance journalist Phoebe Leila Barghouty.</p>",
"arresting_authority": "New York City Police Department",
"arrest_status": "arrested and released",
"release_date": "2020-05-31",
"detention_date": null,
"unnecessary_use_of_force": true,
"case_number": null,
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"assailant": "law enforcement",
"was_journalist_targeted": "yes",
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"links": [],
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"state": {
"name": "New York",
"abbreviation": "NY"
},
"updates": [
"(2020-09-30 00:00:00+00:00) Charges dropped against HuffPost journalist"
],
"case_statuses": [],
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"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"protest"
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"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Arrest/Criminal Charge",
"Assault"
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"targeted_journalists": [
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},
{
"title": "Photojournalist arrested while covering Minneapolis protests",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/photojournalist-arrested-while-covering-minneapolis-protests/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-03T03:27:40.451788Z",
"last_published_at": "2025-04-03T22:44:40.604298Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2025-04-03T22:44:40.499896Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Minneapolis",
"longitude": -93.26384,
"latitude": 44.97997,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"v85sc\">Freelance photojournalist Stephen Maturen was arrested alongside two other journalists while covering protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"qo8nm\">Multiple days of protests in Minneapolis and across the nation were sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest on May 25. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital. The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker documents all arrests separately. Find arrests of journalists covering protests related to the death of George Floyd <a href=\"https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/?date_lower=2020-05-25&date_upper=2020-12-31&tags=protest%2CBlack+Lives+Matter&categories=Arrest%2FCriminal+Charge\">here</a>.</p><p data-block-key=\"qbrei\">Maturen told the Tracker that he had met up with fellow photojournalists at around 9 p.m. Approximately 10-15 minutes later, they were walking north on Nicollet Avenue toward 28th Street when they saw a “parade” of police cruisers driving to where the majority of protesters had scattered.</p><p data-block-key=\"kpax6\">“[A police cruiser] stopped abruptly and a number of members of the Sheriff’s Department poured out shooting either markers or gas canisters at the handful of people on that block,” Maturen said.</p><p data-block-key=\"5352w\">Maturen — along with European Pressphoto Agency photojournalist Tannen Maury and freelance photojournalist Craig Lassig — identified themselves as members of the media, and were initially told to keep moving.</p><p data-block-key=\"7h07g\">“There was a moment where it seemed as though we would just be pushed out of that block, but then someone decided to call for us to be arrested,” Maturen said.</p><p data-block-key=\"emnte\">The photojournalists were all ordered to get on the ground face down with their hands out.</p><p data-block-key=\"ml511\">Maturen said that he was not injured in the course of the arrest and that things “were relatively smooth, all things considered.” He added, however, that when his hands were zip-tied he was still wearing his backpack, and officers cut its straps instead of redoing the ties.</p><p data-block-key=\"i97qk\">Maturen, Lassig and Maury were taken to the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility in downtown Minneapolis and cited with breaking the <a href=\"http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups/public/@mpd/documents/webcontent/wcmsp-224728.pdf?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=e79ba958c566d7286ac6ce6a49e48a8debc864ff-1591053711-0-AbxSmTv2ccfMkA-Ihij2ze3vyQB_FlzT2sWib_sDWXdj1_9fWG561AalJ7ccxwpndoYYiAwVHZjd70wbg6NrI2Z9_3yVfW-dJ47MWePXz3idZGVayasnd2zzE575XoDPazkntl7vQPymCrqtWQq0PXiJ7vIsuxHhwdLjsnMfOGc_BK5zGAw2QcSTR1nOGLOXRCVit7iDtXQmk9W3QSxjUT-2tzRTbvZLSkJHD_3xQbCUve6svgQ9GEjaYKSyFUZbePQgCPZcbtOpdgM5p5zn3Gd8K5JX558orzXCKswZlC9Qww0TL03Wgh9NEj2uFf67nmXu_BPoTHdzRCQiZV1wQClYtzfeOrrmylnCxh0_UnRU\">city’s curfew order</a>, a misdemeanor which is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or up to 90 days in jail. The curfew order specifically exempted members of the news media, however.</p><p data-block-key=\"ngsx9\">They were in police custody for approximately two hours, and Maturen said that his belongings — including his damaged backpack and camera — were returned to him upon his release.</p><p data-block-key=\"adfbe\">Neither the Minneapolis State Patrol nor the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department could immediately be reached for comment.</p><p data-block-key=\"igyzh\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting damage of equipment and multiple journalists arrested or struck by crowd control ammunition or tear gas while covering related protests across the country. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
"teaser_image": "https://media.pressfreedomtracker.us/media/images/RTS39P8O_-_REUTERS_-_Lucas_Jackso.2e16d0ba.fill-1330x880.jpg",
"primary_video": null,
"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"kjj58\">Law enforcement at a Minneapolis protest on May 30, 2020, after the police killing of George Floyd. Photojournalist Stephen Maturen was documenting protests when he was arrested for breaking a curfew order that specifically exempted members of the media.</p>",
"arresting_authority": "Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department",
"arrest_status": "arrested and released",
"release_date": null,
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"unnecessary_use_of_force": false,
"case_number": "0:20-cv-01302",
"case_type": "CLASS_ACTION",
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"links": [],
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"state": {
"name": "Minnesota",
"abbreviation": "MN"
},
"updates": [
"(2022-02-08 12:01:00+00:00) Journalists reach settlement agreement with Minnesota State Patrol, rest of suit ongoing",
"(2024-02-08 00:00:00+00:00) Journalists get nearly $1M settlement over Minneapolis BLM protest attacks",
"(2020-07-30 00:00:00+00:00) Freelance photojournalist joins ACLU suit following arrest while covering Minneapolis protest",
"(2020-07-22 16:10:00+00:00) Charges dropped against photojournalist arrested while covering Minneapolis protests"
],
"case_statuses": [
"ongoing",
"settled"
],
"workers_whose_communications_were_obtained": [],
"target_nationality": [],
"targeted_institutions": [],
"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"protest"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Arrest/Criminal Charge"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Stephen Maturen (Freelance)"
],
"subpoena_statuses": [],
"type_of_denial": []
},
{
"title": "Freelance photojournalist arrested while covering Minneapolis protest",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/freelance-photojournalist-arrested-while-covering-minneapolis-protest/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-03T03:23:07.491717Z",
"last_published_at": "2025-04-03T22:38:43.748948Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2025-04-03T22:38:43.641891Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Minneapolis",
"longitude": -93.26384,
"latitude": 44.97997,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"2e5qt\">Freelance photojournalist Craig Lassig was arrested alongside two other journalists while covering protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"j4vfe\">Multiple days of protests in Minneapolis and across the nation were sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest on May 25. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital. The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker documents all arrests separately. Find arrests of journalists covering protests related to the death of George Floyd <a href=\"https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/?date_lower=2020-05-25&date_upper=2020-12-31&tags=protest%2CBlack+Lives+Matter&categories=Arrest%2FCriminal+Charge\">here</a>.</p><p data-block-key=\"1l8eu\">At just after 9 p.m., Lassig was walking with photojournalists Stephen Maturen and Tannen Maury on Nicollet Avenue toward 28th Street where a “parade” of police cruisers was driving, according to Maturen.</p><p data-block-key=\"3c9bg\">Maturen told the Tracker that a police cruiser had stopped abruptly on their block and began shooting less-lethal rounds at the handful of people around them.</p><p data-block-key=\"suycv\">The three photojournalists identified themselves as members of the media, and were initially told to keep moving.</p><p data-block-key=\"nyhdz\">A moment later, Maturen said, someone made the call to arrest the journalists.</p><p data-block-key=\"atekd\">Lassig told the Tracker that the arrest was uneventful.</p><p data-block-key=\"v38ns\">“The cop that handled me was professional and was careful with my gear,” Lassig said.</p><p data-block-key=\"8rtmt\">Aside from the fact that there was no reason to detain the three of them, he said, they were treated well and only in police custody for approximately two hours.</p><p data-block-key=\"8lc9h\">The journalists were taken to the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility in downtown Minneapolis and cited with breaking the <a href=\"http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups/public/@mpd/documents/webcontent/wcmsp-224728.pdf?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=e79ba958c566d7286ac6ce6a49e48a8debc864ff-1591053711-0-AbxSmTv2ccfMkA-Ihij2ze3vyQB_FlzT2sWib_sDWXdj1_9fWG561AalJ7ccxwpndoYYiAwVHZjd70wbg6NrI2Z9_3yVfW-dJ47MWePXz3idZGVayasnd2zzE575XoDPazkntl7vQPymCrqtWQq0PXiJ7vIsuxHhwdLjsnMfOGc_BK5zGAw2QcSTR1nOGLOXRCVit7iDtXQmk9W3QSxjUT-2tzRTbvZLSkJHD_3xQbCUve6svgQ9GEjaYKSyFUZbePQgCPZcbtOpdgM5p5zn3Gd8K5JX558orzXCKswZlC9Qww0TL03Wgh9NEj2uFf67nmXu_BPoTHdzRCQiZV1wQClYtzfeOrrmylnCxh0_UnRU\">city’s curfew order</a>, a misdemeanor which is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or up to 90 days in jail. The curfew order specifically exempted members of the news media, however.</p><p data-block-key=\"5buvs\">Maturen told the Tracker that all of their belongings were returned to them upon their release.</p><p data-block-key=\"00p23\">Neither the Minneapolis State Patrol nor the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department could immediately be reached for comment.</p><p data-block-key=\"qszo2\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting damage of equipment and multiple journalists arrested or struck by crowd control ammunition or tear gas while covering related protests across the country. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
"teaser_image": "https://media.pressfreedomtracker.us/media/images/RTS39P1T_-_Reuters_-_Lucas_Jackso.2e16d0ba.fill-1330x880.jpg",
"primary_video": null,
"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"y0fby\">Law enforcement at a Minneapolis protest on May 30, 2020, after the police killing of George Floyd. Photojournalist Craig Lassig was documenting protests when he was arrested for breaking a curfew order that specifically exempted members of the media.</p>",
"arresting_authority": "Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department",
"arrest_status": "arrested and released",
"release_date": null,
"detention_date": null,
"unnecessary_use_of_force": false,
"case_number": "0:20-cv-01302",
"case_type": "CLASS_ACTION",
"status_of_seized_equipment": null,
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"state": {
"name": "Minnesota",
"abbreviation": "MN"
},
"updates": [
"(2024-02-08 00:00:00+00:00) Journalists get nearly $1M settlement over Minneapolis BLM protest attacks",
"(2022-02-08 12:00:00+00:00) Journalists reach settlement agreement with Minnesota State Patrol, rest of suit ongoing",
"(2020-08-03 16:08:00+00:00) Charges dropped against freelance photojournalist arrested while covering Minneapolis protest",
"(2020-06-08 00:00:00+00:00) Freelance photojournalist sues following arrest while covering Minneapolis protest"
],
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"ongoing",
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"Black Lives Matter",
"protest"
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"categories": [
"Arrest/Criminal Charge"
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"Craig Lassig (Freelance)"
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{
"title": "European Pressphoto Agency photojournalist arrested during Minneapolis protests",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/european-pressphoto-agency-photojournalist-arrested-during-minneapolis-protests/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-03T03:16:48.645734Z",
"last_published_at": "2025-04-03T22:43:18.682030Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2025-04-03T22:43:18.579602Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Minneapolis",
"longitude": -93.26384,
"latitude": 44.97997,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"j7zct\">A European Pressphoto Agency photojournalist was assaulted and later arrested alongside two other journalists while covering protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"7lvf5\">Multiple days of protests in Minneapolis and across the nation were sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest on May 25. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital. The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker documents all arrests separately. Find arrests of journalists covering protests related to the death of George Floyd <a href=\"https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/?date_lower=2020-05-25&date_upper=2020-12-31&tags=protest%2CBlack+Lives+Matter&categories=Arrest%2FCriminal+Charge\">here</a>.</p><p data-block-key=\"mu1ej\">Tannen Maury told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that he was documenting a peaceful protest when Minnesota State Patrol troopers began to enforce the 8 p.m. curfew, warning all those still present to disperse.</p><p data-block-key=\"ow0nr\">“Five minutes later, they started marching up the street, launching tear gas and I guess rubber bullets, and everything else they have, and I got hit in the back with a projectile,” Maury said.</p><p data-block-key=\"7wrlx\">He believes he was struck with a tear gas canister judging from the large, white residue mark on his shirt and bulletproof vest. Because of his protective gear, Maury said, he was uninjured and able to continue working.</p><p data-block-key=\"cgd2j\">At just after 9 p.m, Maury was walking with freelance photojournalists Stephen Maturen and Craig Lassig on Nicollet Avenue toward 28th Street where a “parade” of police cruisers was driving, according to Maturen.</p><p data-block-key=\"xl2p4\">Maturen told the Tracker that a police cruiser had stopped abruptly on their block and began shooting less-lethal rounds at the handful of people around them.</p><p data-block-key=\"ogjj6\">The three photojournalists identified themselves as members of the media, and were initially told to keep moving.</p><p data-block-key=\"ewc6x\">A moment later, Maturen said, someone made the call to arrest the journalists.</p><p data-block-key=\"y9i50\">Sheriff’s deputies ordered all three to get on the ground face down with their hands out, and they complied.</p><p data-block-key=\"cdv08\">Maury said they explained that they were journalists and exempt from the curfew. “They were gentle, they weren’t rough with us at all,” he said.</p><p data-block-key=\"m0yi6\">The photojournalists were taken to the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility in downtown Minneapolis and cited with breaking the <a href=\"http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups/public/@mpd/documents/webcontent/wcmsp-224728.pdf?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=e79ba958c566d7286ac6ce6a49e48a8debc864ff-1591053711-0-AbxSmTv2ccfMkA-Ihij2ze3vyQB_FlzT2sWib_sDWXdj1_9fWG561AalJ7ccxwpndoYYiAwVHZjd70wbg6NrI2Z9_3yVfW-dJ47MWePXz3idZGVayasnd2zzE575XoDPazkntl7vQPymCrqtWQq0PXiJ7vIsuxHhwdLjsnMfOGc_BK5zGAw2QcSTR1nOGLOXRCVit7iDtXQmk9W3QSxjUT-2tzRTbvZLSkJHD_3xQbCUve6svgQ9GEjaYKSyFUZbePQgCPZcbtOpdgM5p5zn3Gd8K5JX558orzXCKswZlC9Qww0TL03Wgh9NEj2uFf67nmXu_BPoTHdzRCQiZV1wQClYtzfeOrrmylnCxh0_UnRU\">city’s curfew order</a>, a misdemeanor which is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or up to 90 days in jail. The curfew order specifically exempted members of the news media, however. They were in police custody for approximately two hours.</p><p data-block-key=\"ozd3i\">Maury confirmed that all of their belongings were returned to them upon their release.</p><p data-block-key=\"yv1bv\">Neither the Minneapolis State Patrol nor the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department could immediately be reached for comment.</p><p data-block-key=\"osfwd\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is documenting damage of equipment and multiple journalists arrested or struck by crowd control ammunition or tear gas while covering related protests across the country. Find all of these cases <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
"teaser_image": "https://media.pressfreedomtracker.us/media/images/RTS39OZE_-_Reuters_-_Carlos_Barri.2e16d0ba.fill-1330x880.jpg",
"primary_video": null,
"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"hinet\">Law enforcement at a Minneapolis protest on May 30, 2020, after the police killing of George Floyd. Photojournalist Tannen Maury was hit with a tear gas canister fired by a state trooper and arrested while documenting protests in the city.</p>",
"arresting_authority": "Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department",
"arrest_status": "arrested and released",
"release_date": null,
"detention_date": null,
"unnecessary_use_of_force": false,
"case_number": "0:20-cv-01302",
"case_type": "CLASS_ACTION",
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"was_journalist_targeted": "unknown",
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"state": {
"name": "Minnesota",
"abbreviation": "MN"
},
"updates": [
"(2022-02-08 12:03:00+00:00) Journalists reach settlement agreement with Minnesota State Patrol, rest of suit ongoing",
"(2020-07-22 11:37:00+00:00) Charges dropped against European Pressphoto Agency photojournalist arrested during Minneapolis protests",
"(2020-07-30 00:00:00+00:00) Freelance photojournalist joins ACLU suit following arrest while covering Minneapolis protest",
"(2024-02-08 00:00:00+00:00) Journalists get nearly $1M settlement over Minneapolis BLM protest attacks"
],
"case_statuses": [
"ongoing",
"settled"
],
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"tags": [
"Black Lives Matter",
"chemical irritant",
"protest",
"shot / shot at"
],
"politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
"authors": [],
"categories": [
"Arrest/Criminal Charge",
"Assault"
],
"targeted_journalists": [
"Tannen Maury (EPA Images [Germany])"
],
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},
{
"title": "Freelance journalist struck with baton while covering LA protests",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/multiple-journalists-covering-protests-los-angeles-assaulted/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-02T12:49:03.502275Z",
"last_published_at": "2024-06-17T17:16:36.541465Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2024-06-17T17:16:36.452635Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Los Angeles",
"longitude": -118.24368,
"latitude": 34.05223,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"hbva4\">Freelance multimedia journalist Lexis-Olivier Ray was struck in the stomach with a baton while covering protests in Los Angeles, California, on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"d5ae0\">The protests were held in response to a video showing a white police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a Black man, during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25. Floyd was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Protests against police brutality and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement have been held across the United States since the end of May.</p><p data-block-key=\"8930g\">Ray told the Committee to Protect Journalists that he was standing at the intersection of Fairfax Avenue and Third Street documenting the confrontation between protesters and Los Angeles Police Department officers on Saturday afternoon when an officer hit him. CPJ is a founding partner of the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker.</p><p data-block-key=\"wc99q\">“Unprovoked and kind of out of nowhere, the police officer took the baton and jabbed it into my stomach, which sent me flying back a couple feet,” Ray said.</p><p data-block-key=\"0wo3e\">He posted <a href=\"https://twitter.com/ShotOn35mm/status/1267158399772491777\">a video</a> of the encounter to his Twitter feed.</p></div>\n<div class=\"block-tweet\"><div class=\"tweet-embed\">\n <div>\n <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Here's a short clip of the <a href=\"https://twitter.com/LAPDHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@LAPDHQ</a> officer jabbing me in the stomach with a baton, sending me flying back into a crowd of people. <a href=\"https://t.co/R3qUiBgZ5L\">https://t.co/R3qUiBgZ5L</a> <a href=\"https://t.co/IIi9Yf9gOd\">pic.twitter.com/IIi9Yf9gOd</a></p>— Lexis-Olivier Ray (@ShotOn35mm) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/ShotOn35mm/status/1267158399772491777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 31, 2020</a></blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script>\n\n</div>\n\n</div>\n</div>\n<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"o7qi9\">Ray said that prior to the attack he had identified himself as a journalist.</p><p data-block-key=\"tdmfr\">“I went out of my way to identify myself as a member of the press and kind of separate myself from protesters,” he said.</p><p data-block-key=\"nvtm5\">Ray, who had two cameras around his neck, told CPJ he was not wearing a press pass at the time, but doubted that would have helped under the circumstances. The blow “came out of nowhere. It wasn’t a situation where I was being asked to show credentials or anything.”</p><p data-block-key=\"hy6yr\">The pain from the injury grew throughout the day but had dissipated by the next morning, he said.</p><p data-block-key=\"ctcr8\">LAPD did not respond to an email requesting comment.</p><p data-block-key=\"8qe2f\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker documents journalists assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd-control ammunition or tear gas or who had their equipment damaged in the course of reporting. Find all incidents related to Black Lives Matter and anti-police brutality protests <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
"teaser_image": "https://media.pressfreedomtracker.us/media/images/Screen_Shot_2020-06-02_at_7.40.57.2e16d0ba.fill-1330x880.png",
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"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"eromc\">Lexis-Olivier Ray recorded this footage as he was hit in the stomach by a Los Angeles Police Department officer wielding a baton on Saturday, May 30.</p>",
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"state": {
"name": "California",
"abbreviation": "CA"
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{
"title": "Fox News photojournalist, crew chased from park while documenting DC protests",
"url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/fox-news-crew-chased-park-while-documenting-dc-protests/",
"first_published_at": "2020-06-02T12:08:39.044484Z",
"last_published_at": "2024-06-17T17:16:00.870746Z",
"latest_revision_created_at": "2024-06-17T17:16:00.756521Z",
"date": "2020-05-30",
"exact_date_unknown": false,
"city": "Washington",
"longitude": -77.03637,
"latitude": 38.89511,
"body": "<div class=\"block-rich_text\"><p data-block-key=\"2uizc\">Fox News photojournalist Christian Galdabini and his news crew were chased out of Washington, D.C.’s Lafayette Park by a mob on May 30, 2020.</p><p data-block-key=\"uzu9m\">Protests that began in Minnesota on May 26 have spread across the country, sparked by a video showing a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a black man, during an arrest the day before. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a hospital.</p><p data-block-key=\"zqrcm\">Fox correspondent Leland Vittert told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker he arrived with Galdabini and two Fox security officers to report on the protests near the White House at about 8:30 p.m. Galdabini did not respond to an email requesting comment.</p><p data-block-key=\"n4519\">The protest was “entirely peaceful” during the early evening, Vittert said, but grew more restless later into the night.</p><p data-block-key=\"0svt1\">Around midnight, one protester wearing a black and white bandana kept approaching them, questioning which outlet they worked for and why they were there. An hour later, Vittert said he noticed that the protester had stopped recording them and was looking at his phone.</p><p data-block-key=\"nciz5\">As photojournalist Galdabini <a href=\"https://www.foxnews.com/media/fox-news-dc-videographer-recounts-being-attacked-by-protestors\">told Fox</a>, “Somehow he figured out that we were Fox News and decided that that should be announced.”</p><p data-block-key=\"ahl7v\">Vittert told the Tracker that shortly after, “A crowd of about 50 people surrounded us, a number of them stopped throwing things at the Secret Service [officers] and started beating on us.”</p><p data-block-key=\"9nfuc\">In <a href=\"https://dailycaller.com/2020/05/30/george-floyd-protest-white-house-fox-news-leland-vittert/\">footage</a> captured by The Daily Caller, Vittert, Galdabini and their security officers can be seen making their way out of the park while numerous voices call out curses and shout “Fuck Fox News!”</p><p data-block-key=\"jtkll\">Vittert told the Tracker that while they attempted to leave, individuals threw objects at them, grabbed their microphone and used it as a club against them. One of their security officers was punched in the face, and Vittert received more than one blow to his stomach.</p><p data-block-key=\"9p3mq\">The camera Galdabini was carrying was also broken when one of the individuals attempted to grab it. The crew eventually found refuge near a police cruiser outside the park, Vittert said.</p><p data-block-key=\"r6v0p\">“We were all pretty roughed up,” he said.</p><p data-block-key=\"b7fqp\">Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott denounced the assault in a statement published by the outlet.</p><p data-block-key=\"b5470\">“We strongly condemn these actions against FOX News Media reporting teams as well as all other reporters from any media outlets who are simply trying to do their jobs and report the news during an extraordinary time in our country’s history,” Scott said.</p><p data-block-key=\"ufua4\">The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker documents journalists being assaulted, arrested, struck by crowd-control ammunition or tear gas or who had their equipment damaged in the course of reporting. Find all incidents related to Black Lives Matter and anti-police brutality protests <a href=\"/blog/blm-and-unprecedented-aggressions-against-media/\">here</a>.</p></div>",
"introduction": "",
"teaser": "",
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"image_caption": "<p data-block-key=\"it36p\">On May 30, U.S. Secret Service uniformed division officers face demonstrators during a rally near the White House in Washington, D.C. A Fox News crew was assaulted, its equipment damaged.</p>",
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{
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],
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"Equipment Damage"
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"Christian Galdabini (Fox News)"
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}
]
