first_published_at,last_published_at,title,slug,latest_revision_created_at,charges,legal_orders,updates,categories,links,equipment_seized,equipment_broken,targeted_journalists,authors,date,exact_date_unknown,city,state,latitude,longitude,body,introduction,teaser,teaser_image,primary_video,image_caption,arrest_status,arresting_authority,release_date,detention_date,unnecessary_use_of_force,case_number,case_statuses,case_type,status_of_seized_equipment,is_search_warrant_obtained,actor,border_point,target_us_citizenship_status,denial_of_entry,stopped_previously,did_authorities_ask_for_device_access,did_authorities_ask_about_work,assailant,was_journalist_targeted,charged_under_espionage_act,subpoena_type,subpoena_statuses,name_of_business,third_party_business,legal_order_target,legal_order_type,legal_order_venue,status_of_prior_restraint,mistakenly_released_materials,type_of_denial,targeted_institutions,tags,target_nationality,workers_whose_communications_were_obtained,politicians_or_public_figures_involved 2024-01-02 20:31:05.320441+00:00,2024-03-14 16:11:31.832311+00:00,"Reporter arrested, held overnight while covering NYC pro-Palestinian protest",https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/reporter-arrested-held-overnight-while-covering-nyc-pro-palestinian-protest/,2024-03-14 16:11:31.736523+00:00,"obstruction: obstructing government administration (charges dropped as of 2024-01-01), obstruction: disorderly conduct (charges dropped as of 2024-01-01)",,,Arrest/Criminal Charge,,,,Roni Jacobson (New York Daily News),,2023-12-31,False,New York,New York (NY),None,None,"
Freelance reporter Roni Jacobson was arrested by police while documenting a pro-Palestinian protest in New York City on Dec. 31, 2023. She was held overnight and released the following afternoon after the Manhattan district attorney’s office dropped the charges.
Jacobson told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that she was on assignment for the New York Daily News to cover a protest near Times Square and attempted to pass by a police barricade shortly before 7 p.m. to reach the demonstration. Police allowed other pedestrians to pass, but asked Jacobson to provide identification.
According to the Daily News, Jacobson identified herself to the New York Police Department officers as a reporter but told them that her request for city-issued press credentials was still pending. The police said she couldn’t pass without a credential and ordered her to back up, Jacobson said, but as she did so another officer arrested her.
“I was taking a step back and to the side to be fully out of the way. In fact, I was a moment away from just leaving and going to find another way around because I could tell I wasn’t getting anywhere with these guys,” Jacobson said. “As I was stepping back I bumped into the rookie cop who was behind me and then he had the cuffs on me.”
The Daily News reported that Jacobson contacted a night editor for the outlet who confirmed to police that Jacobson was on assignment.
Police alleged in a statement to the Daily News that Jacobson “attempted to physically push past the officers in an attempt to gain entry and was then placed under arrest without further incident.” Jacobson denied that version of events. The NYPD did not respond to a request for further information.
Jacobson told the Tracker she was held overnight at the Midtown South Precinct and charged with obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct. She was released around 4 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2024, when the district attorney declined to prosecute the case.
A spokesperson for the DA’s office told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker said he was unable to comment on the case as it has been sealed, noting that a dismissal is a common reason for sealing a case.
In its report, the Daily News praised the decision to drop the charges, but said it is still seeking answers on why Jacobson was detained in the first place.
“Freedom of the press to operate freely and unimpeded in coverage of protests is critical for informing the public through our news coverage,” Daily News Executive Editor Andrew Julien said. “We plan on following up with the NYPD to understand what conduct could have justified the arrest.”
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include comment from reporter Roni Jacobson.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators march in front of the New York Stock Exchange on Dec. 28, 2023, one in a series of such protests in New York City during the holiday season. Freelance reporter Roni Jacobson was arrested during a similar protest on Dec. 31.
",arrested and released,New York Police Department,2024-01-01,2023-12-31,False,None,[],None,None,False,None,None,None,False,False,None,None,None,None,False,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,False,[],,"Israel-Gaza war, protest",,, 2023-11-30 22:23:12.620924+00:00,2024-03-14 16:11:17.418790+00:00,Arizona radio reporter arrested at pro-Palestinian protest in Tucson,https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/arizona-radio-reporter-arrested-at-pro-palestinian-protest-in-tucson/,2024-03-14 16:11:17.314007+00:00,trespassing: criminal trespass (charges dropped as of 2023-12-21),,(2023-12-21 15:09:00+00:00) Charges dropped against radio reporter arrested at Tucson protest,Arrest/Criminal Charge,,,,Alisa Reznick (KJZZ),,2023-11-30,False,Tucson,Arizona (AZ),32.22174,-110.92648,"KJZZ radio reporter Alisa Reznick was arrested and charged with criminal trespass while reporting on a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Tucson, Arizona, on the morning of Nov. 30, 2023.
The Arizona Republic reported that Reznick was among 26 arrested as demonstrators gathered at a University of Arizona satellite campus where weapons manufacturer Raytheon is housed. Approximately 60 protesters blockaded the entrance to the facility, according to Unicorn Riot.
In footage captured by Unicorn Riot, Reznick, who is a senior field correspondent for KJZZ’s Fronteras Desk and the NPR network, can be heard identifying herself as a journalist and telling a Pima County Sheriff’s deputy that she was walking to her vehicle nearby.
After clearing protesters from blocking UA Tech/Raytheon's entrance road, Pima County Sheriffs also insisted on also arresting @kjzzphoenix journalist @AlisaReznick despite Reznick clearly carrying media equipment and repeatedly identifying herself as press. pic.twitter.com/XJWf6tTCWW
— UNICORN RIOT (@UR_Ninja) November 30, 2023
“I'm a reporter,” Reznick said, with a press credential around her neck, recording equipment in her hand and a camera hanging from her shoulder.
The deputy, while holding her by the arm and wrist, responded, “And you're under arrest.” When she repeated that she was attempting to return to her car and leave, he responded, “You had plenty of time to go to your car and you haven’t.”
The deputy allowed a nearby reporter from Unicorn Riot to take her equipment, saying that he didn’t want to break it.
A public information officer for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that Reznick was charged with criminal trespass, as were 25 demonstrators.
“That journalist was arrested in the same fashion as the demonstrators,” the officer said. “They were on private property, they were requested to leave and they failed to comply.”
Neither Reznick nor KJZZ was immediately available for comment. Michel Marizco, senior editor of KJZZ's Fronteras Desk, told The Arizona Republic that Reznick was released after several hours and was in “strong spirits.”
“We are continuing to seek clarity from the sheriff’s department on the circumstances of this incident where a clearly identified journalist was in the course of reporting the news," Marizco said.
KJZZ senior field correspondent Alisa Reznick was arrested for criminal trespass on Nov. 30, 2023, while reporting on a pro-Palestinian protest at a University of Arizona satellite campus in Tucson.
",arrested and released,Pima County Sheriff's Department,2023-11-30,2023-11-30,False,None,[],None,None,False,None,None,None,False,False,None,None,None,None,False,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,False,[],,"Israel-Gaza war, protest",,, 2023-11-22 21:03:11.987506+00:00,2023-11-22 21:03:11.987506+00:00,Freelance journalist detained while reporting on climate activists,https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/freelance-journalist-detained-while-reporting-on-climate-activists/,2023-11-22 20:30:55.121518+00:00,,,,"Arrest/Criminal Charge, Assault",,,,Will Allen-DuPraw (News2Share),,2023-11-17,False,Washington,District of Columbia (DC),38.89511,-77.03637,"Freelance journalist Will Allen-DuPraw was detained by security at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., while reporting on climate activists at the museum on Nov. 17, 2023.
Allen-DuPraw told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that he was on assignment for News2Share, a collective that sells footage to news outlets, to film as two protesters handed out flyers encouraging museum patrons to call on President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency.
Security officers told the protesters they needed to leave after approximately 20 minutes, Allen-DuPraw said, and he continued to film as one of them refused to immediately leave and was walked out in handcuffs. Shortly after, Allen-DuPraw was handcuffed as well.
In footage posted by News2Share co-founder and Editor-in-Chief Ford Fischer, Allen-DuPraw can be heard asking the detained protester whether he had any statements to make as a security officer led him away in handcuffs. As the man begins to answer, one security guard blocks the journalist’s camera while a second begins to place Allen-DuPraw under arrest.
“All of the sudden I was pushed from behind up against a pillar in the museum,” Allen-DuPraw said. “He seemed to be more of an actual police officer, he was wearing a white shirt and had a badge.”
The National Gallery employs a mix of federal and private security staff and it was unclear which were involved in the detention.
Allen-DuPraw said he identified himself as a journalist and while he wasn’t wearing credentials, he had his National Press Photographers Association identification in his wallet.
“Sir, I’m an independent journalist, you cannot put your hands on me, sir,” Allen-DuPraw said. “You have no reason to detain me, I’m on assignment right now recording and exercising my First Amendment rights.”
VIDEO THREAD: On Friday, as freelance journalist @wallendupraw filmed two climate activists and one bystander be handcuffed and detained over flyering in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, security handcuffed and detained him as well, apparently for filming. pic.twitter.com/FKBiogCCQD
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) November 18, 2023
The security officer is heard telling him that he will “come down” with the officers, they’ll identify him and then he can do whatever he wants to do. When Allen-DuPraw asks why he is being detained, the officer does not reply.
The National Gallery of Art did not respond to requests for comment.
Allen-DuPraw told the Tracker that he was led down to the basement conference room and, once there, he was patted down, his pockets emptied and his photo taken from the front and side by an officer. After approximately 30 minutes, he, the two protesters and the bystander were released without charges.
Allen-DuPraw said that it was particularly alarming that — despite identifying himself as a journalist to multiple officers — no effort was made to verify his press credentials. “A lack of training was just evident,” he added.
Freelance journalist Will Allen-DuPraw, center, was detained while on assignment for News2Share documenting climate activists distributing flyers at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 17, 2023.
",detained and released without being processed,National Gallery of Art Protection Services,None,None,False,None,[],None,None,False,None,None,None,False,False,None,None,private security,yes,False,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,False,[],,"environmentalism, protest",,, 2023-12-01 20:53:40.594798+00:00,2024-03-14 16:17:50.755730+00:00,"Independent journalist pushed, arrested at NYC pro-Palestinian march",https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/independent-journalist-pushed-arrested-at-nyc-pro-palestinian-march/,2024-03-14 16:17:50.638709+00:00,"obstruction: disorderly conduct (charges dropped as of 2023-11-29), obstruction: disorderly conduct (charges dropped as of 2023-11-29)",,,"Arrest/Criminal Charge, Assault",,,,Ashoka Jegroo (Independent),,2023-11-11,False,New York,New York (NY),None,None,"Independent journalist Ashoka Jegroo was pushed and arrested by police officers while documenting a pro-Palestinian demonstration in New York City on Nov. 11, 2023.
Jegroo told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that as the crowd began to disperse near Grand Central Terminal in midtown Manhattan, some demonstrators noticed a pole with American and United Nations flags and one climbed up to replace them with the Palestinian flag. Police then surrounded the pole, pushing everyone back, and prepared to arrest him once he climbed down.
After the protester was placed in handcuffs, Jegroo and other press and protesters followed as officers led the protester to a police van. In footage Jegroo posted to social media, an NYPD officer is heard ordering Jegroo to back up and saying that he was pushing the journalist to get him to move.
“I’m at a reasonable distance,” Jegroo replies. Moments later, multiple officers appear to form a line forcing everyone back, and Jegroo is pushed again as officers order the crowd to get on the sidewalk.
Jegroo asks, “Why are you touching me?” Seconds later, he too is arrested.
#FreePalestine protesters marched in Midtown Manhattan last nite.
— Ash J (@AshAgony) November 12, 2023
As I was recording NYPD arrest a protester, cops began pushing folks. You can hear me tell cops “I’m at a reasonable distance.” Then you can hear me complain about being pushed & then you hear the cuffs put on me. pic.twitter.com/d8ME4Aw1WX
Jegroo told the Tracker that he was held in a cell at NYPD headquarters at One Police Plaza for two to three hours before being released with two citations for disorderly conduct. Both citations were signed by Inspector Frank DiGiacomo, the commanding officer for the department’s Technical Assistance Response Unit.
“When I finally was released,” Jegroo said, “the cop who was escorting me out of the precinct and to the door outside, he remarked that, like, ‘Wow, the inspector himself filled out your tickets. That usually never happens, you must have done something. What did you do?’”
At an initial hearing on Nov. 29, the judge informed Jegroo that police had not properly filed the tickets so he was free to go. Jegroo said that as far as the court records show, the charges against him never happened, but he doesn’t know whether the department could choose to refile them at a later date.
Independent journalist Ashoka Jegroo was arrested by New York Police Department officers while reporting on a pro-Palestinian march in Manhattan on Nov. 11, 2023. The two charges of disorderly conduct against him have since been dropped.
",arrested and released,New York Police Department,2023-11-11,2023-11-11,False,None,[],None,None,False,None,None,None,False,False,None,None,law enforcement,yes,False,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,False,[],,"Israel-Gaza war, protest",,, 2023-11-06 16:57:39.126922+00:00,2023-11-06 22:01:25.078802+00:00,Chicago-area reporter cited for seeking comment from local officials,https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/chicago-area-reporter-cited-for-seeking-comment-from-local-officials/,2023-11-06 22:02:38.595967+00:00,"obstruction: interference/hampering of city employees (charges dropped as of 2023-11-06), obstruction: interference/hampering of city employees (charges dropped as of 2023-11-06), obstruction: interference/hampering of city employees (charges dropped as of 2023-11-06)",,(2023-11-06 16:56:00+00:00) Citations against Chicago-area reporter dropped,Arrest/Criminal Charge,,,,Hank Sanders (Daily Southtown),,2023-10-30,False,Calumet City,Illinois (IL),41.61559,-87.52949,"Officials in Calumet City, Illinois, allege that a local reporter violated municipal ordinances by asking them questions about the city’s upkeep of stormwater infrastructure prior to massive flooding from heavy rains in the Chicago suburb in September 2023.
Daily Southtown reporter Hank Sanders, who reported on Oct. 19 that Calumet City officials were informed last year by a consultant that the municipality’s stormwater facilities are in poor condition, is accused of “interference/hampering of city employees” by contacting them for follow-up coverage, according to the Chicago Tribune, whose parent company publishes both papers.
Three citations issued to Sanders on Oct. 30 listed as complainants Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones, who is also an Illinois state representative; Jerico Thomas, the city’s public works commissioner; and city employee Megan Wilson, the Tribune added.
According to the paper, the notice referencing Wilson states that between Oct. 4-12, Sanders sent 14 emails and a Freedom of Information Act request to the Calumet City government regarding flooding. The notice referencing Jones noted that Sanders had called the city’s Department of Public Works “several times” since Sept. 17.
City attorneys asked Sanders to cease contacting city employees about the matter while the records request is pending, but said despite the requests, “Hank Sanders continues to do so.”
A U.S. Press Freedom Tracker request for comment from Calumet City officials did not immediately receive a response.
On his TikTok account, Sanders posted about the citations, calling them “ridiculous.”
Daily Southtown’s Executive Editor Mitch Pugh, in a statement published in the Tribune, called the citations “outrageous” and likened them to the Oct. 27 arrest of an Alabama reporter and publisher for reporting on a local grand jury investigation and the August police raid on the Marion County Recorder and homes of the Kansas newspaper’s co-owners, executed while the Recorder was investigating Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody’s background.
“They represent a continued assault on journalists who, like Hank, are guilty of nothing more than engaging in the practice of journalism. From places like Alabama to Kansas to Illinois, it appears public officials have become emboldened to take actions that our society once viewed as un-American,” Pugh said. “Unfortunately, in our current political climate, uneducated buffoonery has become a virtue, not a liability, but the Tribune will vigorously stand up for Hank’s right to do his job.”
Don Craven, president, chief executive and general counsel of the Illinois Press Association, told The New York Times that he was optimistic that Calumet City would withdraw the citations. “We’re hopeful that our lawyer and their lawyer can have an adult conversation and understand that these are out of bounds and they’ll be withdrawn.”
A portion of one citation issued to Daily Southtown reporter Hank Sanders on Oct. 30, 2023, charging him with “interference/hampering of city employees” for allegedly harassing Calumet City, Illinois, officials when seeking comment for his reporting.
",charged without arrest,Calumet City Police Department,None,None,False,None,[],None,None,False,None,None,None,False,False,None,None,None,None,False,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,False,None,,,,, 2023-11-01 18:09:18.890354+00:00,2024-02-29 17:20:41.283727+00:00,Alabama reporter faces felony charge for article on grand jury investigation,https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/alabama-reporter-faces-felony-charge-for-article-on-grand-jury-investigation/,2024-02-29 17:20:41.176804+00:00,"publishing: revealing, disclosing or divulging grand jury information (charges pending as of 2023-10-27)",,(2023-10-30 13:02:00+00:00) Alabama reporter placed under prior restraint as condition of bail,"Arrest/Criminal Charge, Prior Restraint",,,,Don Fletcher (Atmore News),,2023-10-27,False,Atmore,Alabama (AL),31.02379,-87.49387,"Atmore News reporter Don Fletcher was arrested in Atmore, Alabama, on Oct. 27, 2023, and charged with a felony for his reporting on an ongoing grand jury investigation, the newspaper reported.
Fletcher authored an article on Oct. 25 concerning an Escambia County investigation into allegations of mismanagement of federal COVID relief funds by the county Board of Education. The article referenced statements made by District Attorney Steve Billy at an Oct. 12 school board meeting confirming that the superintendent would not be brought before a grand jury.
The article also reported that the outlet had obtained documents stating that Billy had issued a subpoena seeking copies of checks labeled as “COVID” payments or bonuses.
Atmore News reported on Facebook that both Fletcher and the newspaper’s publisher and co-owner Sherry Digmon were arrested on Oct. 27, charged with revealing, disclosing or divulging grand jury information, a felony, and released about six hours later after paying $10,000 bonds.
When reached by phone, Fletcher confirmed to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that the two had an initial hearing on Oct. 30 but directed all further inquiries to their attorney, Earnest White. White declined to comment when reached on Oct. 31.
Veronica “Ashley” Fore, a bookkeeper for the county school system, was also arrested and is charged with providing grand jury information to the media, according to WALA-TV. It was not immediately clear how Fore obtained the information.
Neither District Attorney Billy nor the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to requests for comment.
Atmore News reporter Don Fletcher and publisher Sherry Digmon were arrested on Oct. 27, 2023, and charged with felonies for reporting on an ongoing grand jury investigation in Escambia County, Alabama.
",arrested and released,Escambia County Sheriff’s Office,2023-10-27,2023-10-27,False,None,[],None,None,False,None,None,None,False,False,None,None,None,None,False,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,pending,False,[],,,,, 2023-11-01 18:17:04.716394+00:00,2024-02-29 17:20:58.675278+00:00,Alabama publisher charged over report on grand jury investigation,https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/alabama-publisher-charged-over-report-on-grand-jury-investigation/,2024-02-29 17:20:58.568535+00:00,"publishing: revealing, disclosing or divulging grand jury information (charges pending as of 2023-10-27)",,(2023-10-30 13:04:00+00:00) Alabama publisher placed under prior restraint as condition of bail,"Arrest/Criminal Charge, Prior Restraint",,,,Sherry Digmon (Atmore News),,2023-10-27,False,Atmore,Alabama (AL),31.02379,-87.49387,"Atmore News co-owner and publisher Sherry Digmon was arrested in Atmore, Alabama, on Oct. 27, 2023, and charged with a felony for publishing an article on an ongoing grand jury investigation, the newspaper reported.
A reporter for the paper, Don Fletcher, authored an article on Oct. 25 concerning an Escambia County investigation into allegations of mismanagement of federal COVID relief funds by the county Board of Education. The article referenced statements made by District Attorney Steve Billy at an Oct. 12 school board meeting confirming that the superintendent would not be brought before a grand jury.
The article also reported that the outlet had obtained documents stating that Billy had issued a subpoena seeking copies of checks labeled as “COVID” payments or bonuses.
Atmore News reported on Facebook that both Digmon and Fletcher were arrested on Oct. 27, charged with revealing, disclosing or divulging grand jury information, a felony, and released about six hours later after paying $10,000 bonds.
Fletcher, who took a call to the newsroom from the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, confirmed that he and Digmon had an initial hearing on Oct. 30 but directed all further inquiries to their attorney, Earnest White. White declined to comment when reached on Oct. 31.
Veronica “Ashley” Fore, a bookkeeper for the county school system, was also arrested and is charged with providing grand jury information to the media, according to WALA-TV. It was not immediately clear how Fore obtained the information.
Neither District Attorney Billy nor the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to requests for comment.
Atmore News reporter Don Fletcher and publisher Sherry Digmon were arrested on Oct. 27, 2023, and charged with felonies for reporting on an ongoing grand jury investigation in Escambia County, Alabama.
",arrested and released,Escambia County Sheriff’s Office,2023-10-27,2023-10-27,False,None,[],None,None,False,None,None,None,False,False,None,None,None,None,False,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,pending,False,[],,,,, 2023-10-27 15:20:45.073629+00:00,2024-03-14 16:08:55.645032+00:00,"Freelance photojournalist detained, cited at Reno rally",https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/freelance-photojournalist-detained-cited-at-reno-rally/,2024-03-14 16:08:55.542127+00:00,blocking traffic: crossing a roadway outside of a marked crosswalk (convicted as of 2023-10-25),,(2023-10-25 12:35:00+00:00) Freelance photojournalist pays Reno rally jaywalking fine,Arrest/Criminal Charge,,,,Eric Marks (This Is Reno),,2023-10-20,False,Reno,Nevada (NV),39.52963,-119.8138,"Freelance photojournalist Eric Marks was handcuffed and issued a citation while documenting a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Reno, Nevada, on Oct. 20, 2023, according to a news report.
This Is Reno reported that Marks, whose website says he freelances for the digital news outlet as well as the Reno News & Review, was among multiple members of the press documenting the Reno Rally for Palestine in front of the Bruce R. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse. The outlet published his photo-essay from the rally.
Marks told the outlet that while members of the press have often reported on protests from the median on Virginia Street, that day the police ordered them to walk across the street despite oncoming traffic. Marks said he refused.
A police spokesperson told This Is Reno that Marks was told to go to the east sidewalk, toward the courthouse, and was warned to avoid the median. Marks said he followed their directions, but that officers ordered them to walk into traffic twice, which This Is Reno confirmed in video from the incident.
An officer then grabbed Marks, twisted his arm behind his back and rushed him across the street before handcuffing and detaining him for 30 minutes in a nearby parking garage, according to the outlet.
Marks told This Is Reno that officers told him he was under arrest and ultimately gave him a citation for crossing a roadway outside of a marked crosswalk, the state’s jaywalking law.
Marks did not respond to requests for comment. The Reno Police Department did not immediately respond to a voicemail requesting additional information.
Freelance photojournalist Eric Marks was detained and cited under Nevada’s jaywalking law while documenting a pro-Palestinian gathering in Reno on Oct. 20, 2023.
",arrested and released,Reno Police Department,2023-10-20,2023-10-20,False,None,[],None,None,False,None,None,None,False,False,None,None,None,None,False,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,False,[],,"Israel-Gaza war, protest",,, 2023-10-03 18:35:39.960937+00:00,2023-10-04 00:28:38.885804+00:00,"Freelance journalist shoved, arrested while filming police in Arizona",https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/freelance-journalist-shoved-arrested-while-filming-police-in-arizona/,2023-10-04 00:28:38.722294+00:00,"failure to obey: obedience to officers (charges pending as of 2023-09-19), obstruction: resisting arrest (charges pending as of 2023-09-19)",,,"Arrest/Criminal Charge, Assault",,,,Lucas Mullikin (Freelance),,2023-05-16,False,Yuma,Arizona (AZ),32.72532,-114.6244,"Freelance journalist Lucas Mullikin was shoved to the ground and then arrested while filming officers detain a man in Yuma, Arizona, on May 16, 2023. Prosecutors deferred two charges against him on Sept. 19.
Mullikin, whose work has been published by NBC News, Al Jazeera, Business Insider and CNBC, told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that he was driving by as he saw officers aggressively detaining someone, so pulled over to film with his smartphone from what he believed was a safe distance.
“Knowing not to impede the detention, I positioned myself on the far side of the fence,” Mullikin wrote to the Tracker via email. “[An] officer saw me filming through the fence and yelled ‘Get that guy.’ As I was already backing up, suddenly another officer charged, shoving me to the ground.” Mullikin said that the fall reinjured his ACL and caused his knees to bleed.
In the footage Mullikin captured on his cellphone, the officer tells him to “Stay there” before Mullikin stands and asks multiple times for his badge number. The officer immediately turns, points at Mullikin and tells him that he’s under arrest. As Mullikin calls out for a sergeant, the footage ends.
#Yuma, #Arizona Police assault and unlawfully arrest journalist documenting police violence against unsheltered community member. pic.twitter.com/rwktaWE0Nn
— Lucas Mullikin (@lucasmullikin) September 18, 2023
“I didn’t resist [the arrest] in any way, even as he attempted to lift me off the ground by bending my arm upwards behind my back, a move that could have easily dislocated my shoulder,” Mullikin told the Tracker.
Mullikin told AZ Family that he turned off his cellphone to protect his footage, but that his girlfriend filmed his arrest, in which two officers can be seen pinning him to the ground. He told the Tracker he repeatedly identified himself as a journalist throughout the incident
The Yuma Police Department released the body camera footage from the incident on Sept. 25. Voice-over narration detailed the department’s version of events, including that Mullikin and his girlfriend were “flanked” on either side of the officer during the initial arrest.
“The male subject started to inject himself into the incident by asking the officer questions,” Sergeant Lori Franklin said in the video. “For approximately five minutes the officer had to deal with a resisting suspect and attempt to watch two unknown subjects who continued to encroach into the officers’ direct space.”
Mullikin was charged with failure to obey and resisting arrest, according to court records reviewed by the Tracker. Mullikin said the city prosecutor’s office initially offered a plea deal that would have him serve 40 days in jail, which he declined. They later offered him deferred prosecution, akin to probation, under which he would not be prosecuted on the charges unless he was arrested over the subsequent year. Mullikin accepted the offer — which included paying a $500 fee — on Sept. 19.
Mullikin told the Tracker that he intends to file a civil lawsuit against the Yuma Police Department. He said the deposition of officers in his case found that the department does not provide training on how to interact with journalists or the public’s right to record, and that lack of training makes them negligent.
“It’s very important for me to have a positive outcome for this,” Mullikin said. “I want the city to start hiring accountable officers.”
Body cameras worn by police captured freelance journalist Lucas Mullikin being pinned to the ground and arrested while filming a detainment in Yuma, Arizona, on May 16, 2023.
",arrested and released,Yuma Police Department,None,2023-05-16,False,None,[],None,None,False,None,None,None,False,False,None,None,law enforcement,yes,False,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,None,False,None,,,,, 2023-05-09 14:29:41.056093+00:00,2024-02-02 16:13:11.069975+00:00,Photojournalist arrested at candlelight vigil for man killed on NYC subway,https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/photojournalist-arrested-at-candlelight-vigil-for-man-killed-on-nyc-subway/,2024-02-02 16:13:10.659228+00:00,obstruction: disorderly conduct (charges dropped as of 2024-01-25),,"(2023-07-25 13:03:00+00:00) Disorderly conduct charge against NY photojournalist deferred, (2024-01-25 10:57:00+00:00) Charge dropped against photojournalist arrested at NYC vigil",Arrest/Criminal Charge,,,,Stephanie Keith (Freelance),,2023-05-08,False,New York,New York (NY),None,None,"Freelance news photographer Stephanie Keith was arrested while documenting a candlelight vigil in New York, New York, on May 8, 2023.
The vigil was organized following the May 1 death of Jordan Neely, a homeless man who was choked to death on a subway train by a Marine Corps veteran. Keith has been documenting demonstrations in the wake of Neely’s death, with some of her coverage published in Brooklyn Magazine.
Keith was one of nearly a dozen people arrested at the May 8 vigil, according to the New York Post, which was held at the Broadway-Lafayette subway station in Manhattan where Neely was killed. In footage posted to Twitter by Oliya Scootercaster, Keith can be heard identifying herself as a press photographer as multiple officers place her in handcuffs and lead her away.
When reached for comment, a New York Police Department spokesperson confirmed that Keith was issued a summons and released, but declined to say which specific charges were filed against her.
The spokesperson directed the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker to footage of a press conference held later that evening. During the press conference, Chief of Patrol John Chell indicated that the majority of those arrested were charged with obstructing government administration and disorderly conduct.
“The reporter interfered in at least two arrests in the middle of the street and we got very physical,” Chell said. “She interfered a third time, so she was placed under arrest.”
Keith, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, told the Daily News she was detained at the 7th Precinct.
“I was trying to photograph what I thought was an arrest but I never even got a chance to see since they grabbed me as soon as I tried to photograph,” Keith told the News. “I said, ‘I’m press’ and they said, ‘You’re not, you’re arrested.’”
New York Press Photographers Association President Bruce Cotler said in a statement to the News that the organization stands in support of Keith and that he is confident the Manhattan district attorney will drop any charges against her.
Mickey Osterreicher, general counsel for the National Press Photographers Association, told the Tracker that Keith was charged with disorderly conduct.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with details of the charges filed against Keith.
Photojournalist Stephanie Keith was arrested on May 8, 2023, while documenting a candlelight vigil for a man who died on a New York City subway train earlier in the month. Keith was charged and released.
",arrested and released,New York Police Department,None,2023-05-08,False,None,[],None,None,False,None,None,None,False,False,None,None,None,None,False,None,[],None,None,None,None,None,None,False,[],,protest,,, 2023-05-19 19:48:37.358137+00:00,2023-12-03 22:30:02.059026+00:00,Newspaper ordered to comply with subpoena for jailhouse interview notes,https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/newspaper-ordered-to-comply-with-subpoena-for-jailhouse-interview-notes/,2023-12-03 22:30:01.877079+00:00,contempt of court (acquitted as of 2023-11-07),LegalOrder object (213),"(2023-11-15 14:10:00+00:00) Newspaper complies with court order, turns over jailhouse interview notes, (2023-11-07 16:16:00+00:00) Appeals court drops contempt charges, but says paper must turn over jailhouse interview notes, (2023-05-24 12:44:00+00:00) Newspaper held in contempt after refusing to turn over jailhouse interview notes","Subpoena/Legal Order, Arrest/Criminal Charge",,,,,,2023-04-04,False,Bakersfield,California (CA),35.37329,-119.01871,"A California judge has ordered The Bakersfield Californian to comply with a subpoena seeking unpublished materials from a jailhouse interview conducted by one of the newspaper’s reporters. The newspaper and its reporter, Ishani Desai, were instructed on May 10, 2023, to turn over the materials by May 17, but they have refused and now face possible contempt charges.
The dispute began after Desai conducted a jailhouse interview in February with Sebastian Parra. Parra was a key witness in the murder indictment of another inmate, Robert Pernell Roberts, but was subsequently indicted as a co-defendant.
The Californian published Desai's article about Parra on Feb. 26. On March 3, the public defender representing Roberts, Alexandria Blythe, subpoenaed the newspaper seeking any audio or video recordings of the interview or, if no recording exists, a copy of Desai’s notes and interview questions. The Tracker has documented that subpoena here.
While the first subpoena was quashed on April 4, a nearly identical subpoena was issued the same day and served to The Californian on April 10.
An attorney representing the newspaper, Thomas Burke, filed a motion to quash the second subpoena on April 25, according to court filings reviewed by the Tracker.
“In a civil case, the protections for these materials would be absolute; but even criminal defendants like Roberts are not entitled to subject newsgatherers to compelled discovery unless strict conditions are met,” Burke wrote. “Defendant Roberts still cannot begin to satisfy those conditions — he’s simply trying for a second time.”
During a hearing on May 10, Blythe argued that because Parra’s statements to The Californian differed from his sworn testimony it was possible he made other claims that would support Roberts’ defense, according to a transcript reviewed by the Tracker.
Kern County Superior Court Judge Elizabet Rodriguez sided with Blythe, ruling that unlike with the first subpoena, Blythe had successfully shown that the documents would assist in Roberts’ defense.
“Clearly Ms. Blythe does not know what’s in the reporter’s notes since they have not been disclosed,” Rodriguez said, according to the hearing transcript. “There is no requirement that she in fact prove that the notes will be helpful. The requirement is just to make a showing that the information will materially assist his defense.”
Rodriguez ordered the newspaper and Desai to turn over the interview questions and notes by 5 p.m. local time on May 17. According to the transcript, Blythe also intends to call Desai as a witness at the trial, which is scheduled to begin on May 24.
Burke told the Tracker that one of the most alarming aspects was how the judge's decision might encourage similar demands for reporters' notes in future.
“She announced it in a courtroom where I counted at least five prominent criminal defense attorneys who were really listening, as she said how frankly easy it is for a criminal defendant to get notes from a reporter who interviews them,” Burke said. “That’s not a good development. Absent a reversal by the Court of Appeals, that’s like a blueprint for every criminal defendant that the newspaper interviews.”
The Californian filed an emergency appeal on May 15 requesting a stay of the order compelling Desai to turn over her notes. The Court of Appeals determined that the request was premature, and that a newsperson must be held in contempt before the appellate court can intercede.
Burke confirmed to the Tracker that The Californian would not turn over the materials, and Desai said she and the newspaper plan to continue fighting the order.
“We are doing this because we don’t believe that my notes, my unpublished materials, should be seized by any government agency in order for them to use them for their purposes,” Desai said. “A news organization is independent, we don’t help the government do its job.”
A portion of a judge’s May 10, 2023, ruling ordering The Bakersfield Californian to comply with a subpoena seeking recordings or notes from reporter Ishani Desai’s jailhouse interview with a defendant charged with murder.
",charged without arrest,Superior Court of California,None,None,False,None,[],None,None,False,None,None,None,False,False,None,None,None,None,False,journalist communications or work product,['IGNORED'],None,None,Institution,subpoena,State,None,False,[],The Bakersfield Californian,,,, 2023-02-09 16:29:30.325939+00:00,2024-02-06 16:16:42.416563+00:00,NewsNation reporter arrested while covering Ohio governor news conference,https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/newsnation-reporter-arrested-while-covering-ohio-governor-news-conference/,2024-02-06 16:13:28.168992+00:00,"trespassing: criminal trespass (charges dropped as of 2023-02-15), obstruction: resisting arrest (charges dropped as of 2023-02-15)",,"(2023-11-13 13:58:00+00:00) NewsNation reporter sues over wrongful arrest, battery, (2023-02-09 14:38:00+00:00) Body camera footage, law enforcement statements released in arrest of NewsNation correspondent, (2023-02-15 14:15:00+00:00) Charges against NewsNation correspondent dropped, (2024-01-30 00:00:00+00:00) TV reporter settles Ohio arrest and battery suit","Arrest/Criminal Charge, Assault",,,,Evan Lambert (NewsNation),,2023-02-08,False,East Palestine,Ohio (OH),40.83395,-80.54035,"NewsNation Correspondent Evan Lambert was forced to the ground and arrested while covering a news conference held by Ohio’s governor in East Palestine on Feb. 8, 2023. The outlet reported live as he was released approximately five hours later.
Lambert was reporting live at around 5 p.m. as Gov. Mike DeWine spoke in a school gymnasium about cleanup efforts around a recent train derailment. Law enforcement officers approached Lambert at the back of the room, telling him to be quiet. After finishing his live report, officers again approached him and asked that he leave.
In footage of the incident, Lambert can be seen speaking with four law enforcement officers as one of them pulls on Lambert’s arm to forcibly remove him. Officers ultimately forced Lambert to the ground, pinning him on his stomach while handcuffing him. Two officers then place him in what appears to be a Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office vehicle.
NewsNation Washington Bureau Chief Mike Viqueria said during a broadcast that he spoke to Lambert while he was jailed.
“The first thing I’m going to tell you is Evan continues to act with a calm professionalism and equanimity despite what appears to me to be an infuriating outrage and violation of the First Amendment,” Viqueria said.
NewsNation reported live as Lambert was released from the Columbiana County Jail at around 10:15 p.m. He faces charges of criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct. It was not immediately clear which law enforcement agency filed the charges. When reached by phone, the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office directed the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker to contact the East Palestine Police Department. A EPPD officer said that they would be releasing a press release on Feb. 9.
After his release, Lambert said he was doing fine and that it had been an extremely long day.
“I’m just trying to do my job — as I am continuing to do right now — and that’s what it’s all about,” Lambert said. “No journalist expects to be arrested when you’re doing your job, and I think that’s really important that that doesn’t happen in our country.”
"No journalist expects to be arrested when you're doing your job," @EvanLambertTV says. He goes on to say he will continue to do his job and report what people need to know.
— NewsNation (@NewsNation) February 9, 2023
Watch #Banfield: https://t.co/s8z9kEhRC4 pic.twitter.com/tqHDvxHbk7
The governor told reporters shortly after the arrest that he had not ordered or authorized it.
“It has always been my practice that if I’m doing a press conference, someone wants to report out there and they want to be talking back to the people back on channel, whatever, they have every right to do that,” DeWine said. “If someone was stopped from doing that, or told they could not do that, that was wrong.”
NewsNation correspondent Evan Lambert is pinned to the ground after being stopped from covering a news conference held by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Feb. 8, 2023. He was arrested and later released with pending charges.
",arrested and released,East Palestine Police Department,None,None,True,4:23-cv-02200,['DISMISSED'],Civil,None,False,None,None,None,False,False,None,None,law enforcement,yes,False,None,[],None,None,None,None,None,None,False,[],,,,, 2023-01-19 15:41:37.800666+00:00,2023-07-31 20:42:56.195050+00:00,"SC reporter arrested, banned from tribal lands",https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/sc-reporter-arrested-banned-from-tribal-lands/,2023-07-31 20:42:56.073192+00:00,trespassing (charges dropped as of 2023-07-17),,(2023-07-17 16:31:00+00:00) Trespassing charge against reporter dropped,Arrest/Criminal Charge,,,,Maggie Brown (The Post and Courier),,2023-01-14,False,Rock Hill,South Carolina (SC),34.92487,-81.02508,"Post and Courier reporter Maggie Brown was arrested and charged with trespassing after being removed from a Catawba Nation general council meeting near Rock Hill, South Carolina, on Jan. 14, 2023.
The Post and Courier, which originally reported the arrest in a since-deleted article, wrote that Brown was in attendance to cover discussions around whether to cut ties with the operators of a Catawba-owned casino that is under federal scrutiny. That article is available for reference from an internet archive. Brown and Managing Editor Andy Shain declined to comment when reached by email.
Queen City News reported that tribal administrators denied Brown’s request to attend the meeting — which was only open to tribal members and invited guests — in the days leading up to the event. The News reported that approximately 200 people were in attendance.
The York County Sheriff’s Office told the outlet that a deputy gave Brown a citation for trespassing, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail or a $200 fine, and released her. Brown left the Catawba reservation under a police escort.
The Catawba Nation condemned her actions in a statement released on Twitter after the incident, referring to her as Maggie Brown Driggers. The statement said that she had flaunted tribal sovereignty and disrespected their boundaries.
“Catawba General Council meetings are gatherings of Catawba citizens to discuss, debate, and ultimately vote on issues facing the Nation,” the statement said. “We are a sovereign nation with the power to set boundaries and laws on our land to protect and serve our people. This includes restricting those who are allowed and not allowed in our meetings.”
According to the statement, Brown has been banned from tribal lands.
The York County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to a voicemail requesting further information.