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 2017-05-24 21:44:14.993595+00:00,2024-02-23 16:09:26.739057+00:00,Journalist Aaron Cantú arrested at Trump inauguration,https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/journalist-aaron-cant%C3%BA-arrested-trump-inauguration/,2024-02-23 16:09:26.588157+00:00,"destruction of property (charges dropped as of 2018-07-06), destruction of property (charges dropped as of 2018-07-06), destruction of property (charges dropped as of 2018-07-06), destruction of property (charges dropped as of 2018-07-06), destruction of property (charges dropped as of 2018-07-06), rioting (charges dropped as of 2018-07-06), rioting: conspiracy to riot (charges dropped as of 2018-07-06), rioting: inciting a riot (charges dropped as of 2018-07-06)",,"(2018-07-06 16:13:00+00:00) Prosecutors drop charges against all remaining defendants, (2020-01-16 13:16:00+00:00) Two journalists sue D.C., police department for arrests while covering 2017 inauguration protests, (2023-04-25 17:17:00+00:00) DC government pays two journalists $175,000 to settle wrongful arrest claims, (2018-01-18 22:53:00+00:00) Prosecutors drop charges against protesters, but not Cantú",Arrest/Criminal Charge,,,,Aaron Cantú (Independent),,2017-01-20,False,Washington,District of Columbia (DC),38.89511,-77.03637,"
Aaron Cantú — an independent journalist who has written for The Baffler, the website Truthout, and Al-Jazeera — was arrested on Jan. 20, 2017, while covering protests on the day President Donald Trump's inauguration.
Cantú was among more than 230 people arrested in Washington on Inauguration Day after some individuals set fire to a car and broke windows of downtown businesses.
Cantú was one of nine journalists arrested during the protests. Charges were later dropped against most of the journalists, but not Cantú. On April 27, a grand jury indicted him on eight separate felony counts — inciting a riot, rioting, conspiracy to riot, and five counts of destruction of property. If convicted on all counts, he could face to 75 years in prison.
He is scheduled to go to trial in October 2018.
Journalist Aaron Cantú was required to wear this bracelet while detained, after he was arrested while covering protests against President Trump's inauguration in Washington, D.C.
",arrested and released,Metropolitan Police Department,None,None,False,1:20-cv-00130,['SETTLED'],Civil,None,False,None,None,None,False,False,None,None,None,None,False,None,[],None,None,None,None,None,None,False,[],,"chemical irritant, election, Election 2016, kettle, protest",,, 2017-07-26 15:56:29.556592+00:00,2024-02-23 16:10:38.499416+00:00,Journalist Alexei Wood arrested at Inauguration protest,https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/journalist-alexei-wood-arrested-inauguration-protest/,2024-02-23 16:10:38.273326+00:00,"destruction of property (acquitted as of 2017-12-21), destruction of property (acquitted as of 2017-12-21), destruction of property (acquitted as of 2017-12-21), destruction of property (acquitted as of 2017-12-21), rioting (acquitted as of 2017-12-21), rioting: conspiracy to riot (acquitted as of 2017-12-21), rioting: inciting a riot (charges dropped as of 2017-12-13), destruction of property (acquitted as of 2017-12-21)",,"(2017-10-31 15:17:00+00:00) Wood's trial date, (2017-12-21 12:42:00+00:00) Jury verdict: not guilty, (2017-11-20 12:00:00+00:00) Wood's trial starts, (2017-12-13 11:22:00+00:00) Felony incitement charge dropped, (2017-12-01 11:18:00+00:00) Felony charges downgraded to misdemeanors, (2020-01-16 13:13:00+00:00) Two journalists sue D.C., police department for arrests while covering 2017 inauguration protests, (2018-10-10 00:00:00+00:00) Police return equipment seized for reporter arrested while covering inauguration protests, (2023-04-25 17:16:00+00:00) DC government pays two journalists $175,000 to settle wrongful arrest claims","Arrest/Criminal Charge, Equipment Search or Seizure",,"camera: count of 1, camera equipment: count of 1, camera lens: count of 1, cellphone: count of 1, recording equipment: count of 1, storage device: count of 4",,Alexei Wood (Independent),,2017-01-20,False,Washington,District of Columbia (DC),38.89511,-77.03637,"Independent photojournalist Alexei Wood was arrested while covering protests on Jan. 20, 2017 — the day of the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Wood was among more than 230 people arrested in Washington on Inauguration Day after some individuals set fire to a car and broke windows of downtown businesses.
Wood told the Freedom of the Press Foundation that, when he was arrested, he was carrying a lot of professional equipment — including a Canon 7D camera body with a 16–35 L lens, at least four memory cards with over 200 GB of photos, a Rode external microphone, a monopod, and an Android phone (which he used to livestream the protest on Facebook Live).
All of his equipment was seized and searched by police after he was arrested. The lens was later returned to him, but the rest of his equipment was not.
Like other journalists arrested during the Inauguration protests, Wood was initially charged with one count of rioting, a felony which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in jail.
But on April 27, a grand jury indicted him on eight separate felony counts:
The eight counts carry a combined maximum sentence of more than 60 years in prison.
Alexei Wood stands outside D.C. superior court.
",arrested and released,Metropolitan Police Department,None,None,False,1:20-cv-00130,['SETTLED'],Civil,returned in full,False,law enforcement,None,None,False,False,None,None,None,None,False,None,[],None,None,None,None,None,None,False,[],,"chemical irritant, election, Election 2016, kettle, protest",,,