Incident Database

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33 incidents recorded

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Incident

Incident Details

Category Details

Deposition order issued for student reporting on wrongful imprisonment case

Incident Details

Updated on: November 19, 2025
Date of incident: August 5, 2025
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Targets: Sam Krevlin ([Northwestern University] Medill Investigative Lab)

Legal orders →: subpoena for other testimony

Aug. 5, 2025: Pending

Aug. 18, 2025: Objected to

Sept. 3, 2025: Objected to

Nov. 19, 2025: Partially upheld
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: Federal

CNN journalist deposed in Nexstar lawsuit, questioned about emails

Incident Details

Date of incident: May 2025
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Targets: Liam Reilly (CNN)

Legal orders →: subpoena for other testimony

May 1, 2025: Pending

July 14, 2025: Carried out
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: Federal

Subpoena issued for student reporting on wrongful imprisonment case

Incident Details

Updated on: November 19, 2025
Date of incident: March 7, 2025
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Targets: Sam Krevlin ([Northwestern University] Medill Investigative Lab)

Legal orders →: subpoena for communications or work product

March 7, 2025: Pending

March 13, 2025: Objected to

March 28, 2025: Ignored

Sept. 19, 2025: Objected to

Nov. 19, 2025: Quashed
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: Federal

Justice Department questions journalist’s motives in reporting on federal terror case

Incident Details

Date of incident: May 29, 2024
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Targets: Trevor Aaronson (The Intercept)

Chilling Statement

Judge quashes subpoena of opinion editor as part of Flint water suit

Incident Details

Date of incident: September 1, 2022
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Targets: Brendan Clarey (The Detroit News)

Legal orders →: subpoena for communications or work product

Sept. 1, 2022: Pending

Oct. 17, 2022: Objected to

Nov. 17, 2022: Quashed
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: Federal

Two Detroit News editors subpoenaed as part of Flint water suit

Incident Details

Date of incident: September 1, 2022
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Targets: Gary Miles (The Detroit News)

Legal orders →: subpoena for communications or work product

Sept. 1, 2022: Pending

Oct. 17, 2022: Objected to

Nov. 17, 2022: Quashed

subpoena for other testimony

Sept. 1, 2022: Pending

Oct. 17, 2022: Objected to

Nov. 17, 2022: Quashed
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: Federal

Reporter assaulted in Detroit by contractor profiled in news segment

Incident Details

Updated on: June 21, 2022
Date of incident: April 19, 2022
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Targets: Rob Wolchek (WJBK)

Assailant →: Private individual
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

Reporter shoved, punched during anti-mask demonstration in Traverse City, Michigan

Incident Details

Updated on: August 1, 2022
Date of incident: August 26, 2021
Location: Traverse City, Michigan
Targets: Brendan Quealy (Traverse City Record-Eagle)

Assailant →: Private individual
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

Parent accosts Michigan journalist after school board meeting

Incident Details

Date of incident: August 2, 2021
Location: Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Targets: Eric Baerren (Mount Pleasant Morning Sun)

Assailant →: Private individual
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

Broadcast reporter threatened, spat on by man at event with Michigan governor

Incident Details

Updated on: September 10, 2021
Date of incident: May 6, 2021
Location: Greilickville, Michigan
Targets: Cortney Brown (WPBN-TV)

Assailant →: Private individual
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

Michigan broadcast reporter assaulted by a man who grabs and throws her microphone

Incident Details

Updated on: September 10, 2021
Date of incident: May 6, 2021
Location: Greilickville, Michigan
Targets: Natalie Spala (WPBN-TV)

Assailant →: Private individual
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

Equipment damaged →: Recording equipment, 1
Actor →: Private individual

Videographer assaulted, his phone thrown over a fence while covering Detroit protest

Incident Details

Date of incident: April 10, 2021
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Targets: Brendan Gutenschwager (Freelance)

Assailant →: Private individual
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

Equipment damaged →: Cellphone, 1
Actor →: Private individual

Reporter arrested while covering a Proud Boys rally and counterprotest in Kalamazoo

Incident Details

Date of incident: August 15, 2020
Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Targets: Samuel Robinson (MLive)

Arrest status →: Arrested and released
Arresting authority →: Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety
Charges →: Traffic violation: impeding traffic

Aug. 15, 2020: Charges pending

Aug. 16, 2020: Charges dropped
Unnecessary use of force? →: Yes

Assailant →: Law enforcement
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

Detroit Free Press reporter detained, pushed to ground while covering a protest for story on police tactics

Incident Details

Date of incident: June 2, 2020
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Targets: Darcie Moran (Detroit Free Press)

Arrest status →: Detained and released without being processed
Arresting authority →: Detroit Police Department
Unnecessary use of force? →: Yes

Assailant →: Law enforcement
Was the journalist targeted? →: Unknown

Freelance photographer assaulted by police while covering Detroit protests

Incident Details

Date of incident: June 2, 2020
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Targets: Sean Work (Freelance)

Assailant →: Law enforcement
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

Detroit Metro Times journalist assaulted while covering civil unrest

Incident Details

Date of incident: June 2, 2020
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Targets: Steve Neavling (Detroit Metro Times)

Assailant →: Law enforcement
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

Equipment damaged →: Camera lens, 1

Cellphone, 1
Actor →: Law enforcement

Detroit News journalist captures her own detention on livestream

Incident Details

Date of incident: May 31, 2020
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Targets: Christine MacDonald (The Detroit News)

Arrest status →: Detained and released without being processed
Arresting authority →: Detroit Police Department
Unnecessary use of force? →: No

Getty photojournalist hit with rubber bullets in Detroit; officer charged

Incident Details

Updated on: October 21, 2024
Date of incident: May 31, 2020
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Targets: Matthew Hatcher (Getty Images)

Assailant →: Law enforcement
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

Detroit Free Press reporter charged by police, told to leave

Incident Details

Date of incident: May 31, 2020
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Targets: Mark Kurlyandchik (Detroit Free Press)

Assailant →: Law enforcement
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

Detroit Free Press reporter shoved by police while covering protests

Incident Details

Date of incident: May 31, 2020
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Targets: Darcie Moran (Detroit Free Press)

Assailant →: Law enforcement
Was the journalist targeted? →: Yes

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