Incident Database

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Journalists removed from Iowa Senate floor, overturning a century-old practice

Incident Details

Date of incident: January 7, 2022
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Targets: Media

Government agency or public official involved →: State government: Legislature
Type of denial →: Change in policy or practice

Journalists moved from Kansas Senate floor to public gallery for new legislative session

Incident Details

Date of incident: January 4, 2022
Location: Topeka, Kansas
Targets: Media

Government agency or public official involved →: State government: Legislature
Type of denial →: Change in policy or practice

Search warrant issued for North Dakota reporter’s phone records amid police investigation

Incident Details

Date of incident: January 4, 2022
Location: Williston, North Dakota
Targets: Tom Simon (KXWI-FM)

Legal orders →: warrant for communications or work product

Jan. 4, 2022: Pending

Jan. 10, 2022: Dropped
Legal order target →: Third-party: Verizon Wireless (telecom company)
Legal order venue →: State

Reporter arrested, phone confiscated while covering NC homeless camp eviction

Incident Details

Updated on: June 4, 2025
Date of incident: December 25, 2021
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Case number: 1:24-cv-00307
Targets: Matilda Bliss (The Asheville Blade)
Case status: Ongoing
Type of case: Civil

Arrest status →: Arrested and released
Arresting authority →: Asheville Police Department
Charges →: Trespassing

Dec. 26, 2021: Charges pending

April 19, 2023: Convicted

April 19, 2023: Pending appeal

June 16, 2023: Convicted

March 22, 2024: Pending appeal

June 4, 2025: Convicted
Release date →: December 26, 2021
Unnecessary use of force? →: No

Equipment searched or seized →: Cellphone, 1
Status of equipment →: Returned in full
Search warrant obtained →: Yes

Legal orders →: warrant for communications or work product

Jan. 1, 2022: Carried out
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: State

Journalist arrested while covering North Carolina homeless camp eviction

Incident Details

Updated on: June 4, 2025
Date of incident: December 25, 2021
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Case number: 1:24-cv-00307
Targets: Veronica Coit (The Asheville Blade)
Case status: Ongoing
Type of case: Civil

Arrest status →: Arrested and released
Arresting authority →: Asheville Police Department
Charges →: Trespassing

Dec. 26, 2021: Charges pending

April 19, 2023: Convicted

April 19, 2023: Pending appeal

June 16, 2023: Convicted

March 22, 2024: Pending appeal

June 4, 2025: Convicted
Release date →: December 26, 2021
Unnecessary use of force? →: No

Texas journalist files suit following arrest, equipment seizure

Incident Details

Updated on: May 15, 2024
Date of incident: December 21, 2021
Location: Damon, Texas
Case number: 4:22-cv-04210
Targets: Justin Pulliam (Independent)
Case status: Ongoing
Type of case: Civil

Arrest status →: Arrested and released
Arresting authority →: Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office
Charges →: Obstruction: interference with public duties

May 16, 2022: Charges pending

May 15, 2024: Charges dropped
Unnecessary use of force? →: No

Equipment searched or seized →: Camera, 2

Cellphone, 1

External battery, 1

Miscellaneous equipment, 3

Recording equipment, 1

Storage device, 2
Status of equipment →: Returned in part
Search warrant obtained →: Yes

Legal orders →: warrant for communications or work product

Jan. 14, 2022: Pending

Jan. 14, 2022: Carried out

warrant for communications or work product

Jan. 14, 2022: Pending

Jan. 14, 2022: Carried out
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: State

Independent journalist assaulted while documenting anti-vaccine protest

Incident Details

Date of incident: December 18, 2021
Location: Los Angeles, California
Targets: Sean Beckner-Carmitchel (Independent)

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

As many as 20 journalists investigated by secretive CBP division

Incident Details

Date of incident: December 11, 2021
Location: Washington, District of Columbia
Targets: Ali Watkins (Politico), Arianna Huffington (HuffPost), Martha Mendoza (The Associated Press), Media, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal

Chilling Statement

Former BuzzFeed reporter ordered to submit documents in lawsuit against Kevin Spacey

Incident Details

Date of incident: December 6, 2021
Location: New York, New York
Targets: Adam Vary (BuzzFeed News)

Legal orders →: subpoena for communications or work product

Dec. 6, 2021: Pending

Dec. 14, 2021: Objected to

Dec. 16, 2021: Ignored

Dec. 29, 2021: Pending

Jan. 12, 2022: Objected to

Feb. 22, 2022: Pending

Feb. 28, 2022: Objected to

May 19, 2022: Upheld

May 23, 2022: Objected to

Aug. 9, 2022: Upheld

Aug. 15, 2022: Carried out
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: Federal

San Francisco Chronicle photographer robbed at gunpoint in Oakland, cameras stolen

Incident Details

Date of incident: December 3, 2021
Location: Oakland, California
Targets: Unidentified photojournalist 14 (San Francisco Chronicle)

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

Equipment damaged →: Camera, 2
Actor →: Private individual

Photojournalist arrested, equipment seized while documenting homeless encampment

Incident Details

Updated on: July 23, 2024
Date of incident: November 30, 2021
Location: Sausalito, California
Case number: 3:22-cv-01029
Targets: Jeremy Portje (Freelance)
Case status: Settled
Type of case: Civil

Arrest status →: Arrested and released
Arresting authority →: Sausalito Police Department
Charges →: Obstruction: resisting an executive officer

Dec. 1, 2021: Charges pending

Dec. 28, 2021: Charges dropped

Assault: battery on a police officer

Dec. 1, 2021: Charges pending

Dec. 28, 2021: Charges dropped

Assault: battery on a police officer with injury

Dec. 1, 2021: Charges pending

Dec. 28, 2021: Charges dropped
Detention date →: November 30, 2021
Release date →: December 1, 2021
Unnecessary use of force? →: No

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

Equipment searched or seized →: Camera lens, 1

Storage device, 2

Camera equipment, 1

Recording equipment, 3

Camera, 1

Cellphone, 1

External battery, 1
Status of equipment →: Returned in full
Search warrant obtained →: Yes

Legal orders →: warrant for communications or work product

Dec. 9, 2021: Pending

Dec. 21, 2021: Carried out
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: State

Bay Area broadcast security guard shot, killed in attempted robbery of news crew

Incident Details

Updated on: March 16, 2022
Date of incident: November 24, 2021
Location: Oakland, California
Targets: Unidentified journalist 5 (KRON-TV)

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

Freelance journalist sues following House Committee’s subpoena of her phone records

Incident Details

Updated on: December 5, 2022
Date of incident: November 24, 2021
Location: Washington, District of Columbia
Case number: 1:21-cv-03290
Targets: Amy Harris (Freelance)
Case status: Withdrawn
Type of case: Civil

Legal orders →: subpoena for communications or work product

Nov. 24, 2021: Pending

Dec. 5, 2022: Dropped
Legal order target →: Third-party: Verizon (telecom company)
Legal order venue →: Federal

KATU camera operator assaulted, camera damaged amid Portland protests

Incident Details

Date of incident: November 19, 2021
Location: Portland, Oregon
Targets: Unidentified photojournalist 13 (KATU)

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

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

KATU journalist assaulted, crew harassed in Portland protest

Incident Details

Date of incident: November 19, 2021
Location: Portland, Oregon
Targets: Unidentified journalist 4 (KATU)

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

Multimedia journalist pushed by police officer while covering riot in Portland

Incident Details

Date of incident: November 19, 2021
Location: Portland, Oregon
Targets: Grace Morgan (Independent)

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

NY court issues prior restraint against The New York Times

Incident Details

Updated on: February 10, 2022
Date of incident: November 18, 2021
Location: White Plains, New York
Targets: The New York Times

Status of prior restraint →: Struck down
Mistakenly released materials? →: No

Podcast producers release unaired materials after subpoena upheld

Incident Details

Date of incident: November 18, 2021
Location: San Diego, California
Targets: Audiation

Legal orders →: subpoena for communications or work product

Nov. 18, 2021: Pending

Dec. 1, 2021: Objected to

Dec. 21, 2021: Upheld

Dec. 22, 2021: Ignored
Legal order target →: Institution
Legal order venue →: Federal

Family Court judge quashes subpoena issued to former Honolulu Civil Beat reporter

Incident Details

Date of incident: November 17, 2021
Location: Kapolei, Hawaii
Targets: Kevin Knodell (Honolulu Civil Beat)

Legal orders →: subpoena for communications or work product

Nov. 17, 2021: Pending

Dec. 22, 2021: Objected to

July 1, 2022: Quashed
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: State

Project Veritas founder detained, phones seized amid FBI raid of his home

Incident Details

Updated on: December 21, 2023
Date of incident: November 6, 2021
Location: Mamaroneck, New York
Case number: 1:21-mc-00813
Targets: James O'Keefe (Project Veritas)
Case status: Dismissed
Type of case: Civil

Arrest status →: Detained and released without being processed
Arresting authority →: Federal Bureau of Investigation
Unnecessary use of force? →: No

Equipment searched or seized →: Cellphone, 2
Status of equipment →: In custody
Search warrant obtained →: Yes

Legal orders →: warrant for communications or work product

Nov. 5, 2021: Pending

Nov. 6, 2021: Carried out

Nov. 12, 2021: Objected to

March 21, 2023: Upheld

May 2, 2023: Objected to

Dec. 21, 2023: Upheld
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: Federal

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