Incident Database

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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Case status: Withdrawn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

Former BuzzFeed reporter ordered to sit for deposition in lawsuit against Kevin Spacey

Incident Details

Date of incident: November 4, 2021
Location: New York, New York
Targets: Adam Vary (BuzzFeed News)

Legal orders →: subpoena for testimony about confidential source

Nov. 4, 2021: Pending

Dec. 16, 2021: Carried out

Feb. 22, 2022: Pending

Feb. 28, 2022: Objected to

Sept. 1, 2022: Carried out

subpoena for communications or work product

Nov. 4, 2021: Pending

Unknown date: Objected to

Dec. 6, 2021: Dropped
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: Federal

Former Project Veritas journalist detained, devices seized

Incident Details

Date of incident: November 4, 2021
Location: New York, New York
Targets: Spencer Meads (Project Veritas)

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

Equipment searched or seized →: Cellphone, 13

Computer, 2

Storage device, 2
Status of equipment →: In custody
Search warrant obtained →: Yes

Legal orders →: warrant for communications or work product

Nov. 3, 2021: Pending

Nov. 4, 2021: Carried out

Nov. 17, 2021: Objected to

March 21, 2023: Upheld

May 2, 2023: Objected to

Dec. 21, 2023: Upheld

Jan. 22, 2024: Objected to

July 23, 2024: Upheld

warrant for communications or work product

Nov. 3, 2021: Pending

Nov. 4, 2021: Carried out

Nov. 17, 2021: Objected to

March 21, 2023: Upheld

May 2, 2023: Objected to

Dec. 21, 2023: Upheld

Jan. 22, 2024: Objected to

July 23, 2024: Upheld
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: Federal

Former Project Veritas staffer detained, devices seized

Incident Details

Date of incident: November 4, 2021
Location: Mamaroneck, New York
Targets: Eric Cochran (Project Veritas)

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

Computer, 3

Miscellaneous equipment, 4

Storage device, 22
Status of equipment →: In custody
Search warrant obtained →: Yes

Legal orders →: warrant for communications or work product

Nov. 3, 2021: Pending

Nov. 4, 2021: Carried out

Nov. 17, 2021: Objected to

March 21, 2023: Upheld

May 2, 2023: Objected to

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

Journalist subpoenaed by Facebook, seeking years of communications

Incident Details

Date of incident: November 2021
Location: Seattle, Washington
Targets: Eli Sanders (Wild West)

Legal orders →: subpoena for communications or work product

Nov. 2, 2021: Pending

April 13, 2022: Dropped

subpoena for communications or work product

Nov. 1, 2021: Pending

Sept. 2, 2022: Carried out
Legal order target →: Journalist
Legal order venue →: State

Federal judge upholds subpoena demanding unreleased materials from Chicago’s CBS2 News

Incident Details

Updated on: October 20, 2022
Date of incident: October 26, 2021
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Targets: WBBM-TV

Legal orders →: subpoena for communications or work product

Oct. 26, 2021: Pending

Nov. 8, 2021: Objected to

April 29, 2022: Upheld

May 10, 2022: Objected to

Oct. 20, 2022: Upheld

Oct. 28, 2022: Carried out
Legal order target →: Institution
Legal order venue →: Federal

Salon reporter assaulted while documenting Virginia gubernatorial campaign rally

Incident Details

Date of incident: October 19, 2021
Location: Burke, Virginia
Targets: Zachary Petrizzo (Salon)

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

Freelance journalist questioned about journalism at Portland airport

Incident Details

Date of incident: October 18, 2021
Location: Portland, Oregon
Targets: Sergio Olmos (Freelance)

Border point →: Portland International Airport
Denied entry? →: No
Stopped previously? →: No
Asked for device access? →: Unknown
Asked intrusive questions about work? →: Yes

Production company subpoenaed for documentary footage in criminal case

Incident Details

Date of incident: October 18, 2021
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Targets: Painless Television, Inc.

Legal orders →: subpoena for communications or work product

Oct. 18, 2021: Pending

Oct. 19, 2021: Objected to

June 27, 2022: Quashed
Legal order target →: Institution
Legal order venue →: State