U.S. Press Freedom Tracker

Journalist Adam Schrader arrested at Standing Rock

Incident Details

Date of Incident
October 27, 2016
Location
Morton County, North Dakota
Targets
Adam Schrader (New York Daily News)

Arrest/Criminal Charge

Arrest Status
Arrested and released
Arresting Authority
Morton County Sheriff's Department
Charges
Detention Date
Release Date
Unnecessary use of force?
No
Equipment Seized
Status of Seized Equipment
In custody
Search Warrant Obtained
No
Reuters/Terray Sylvester

Dakota Access Pipeline protesters and police near the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota in October 2016. Independent journalist Adam Schrader was arrested on Oct. 27, 2016, while documenting one of the protests.

— Reuters/Terray Sylvester
February 5, 2025 - Update

Journalist’s equipment still in custody after 2016 arrest at Standing Rock

Journalist Adam Schrader’s equipment is still in the custody of the Morton County Sheriff’s Department, years after his 2016 arrest while documenting a protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota, Schrader told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker via email in February 2025.

At the time, Schrader was working as a stringer for the New York Daily News; he also worked for other outlets and ran a news website called Wanderer News. He told the Tracker he was reporting near the Standing Rock Reservation at a camp off the highway near the cities of Mandan and Bismarck, when police officers arrived to dismantle the camp and arrested him. “I was in one of those roadside ditches at the time,” he said.

He said he had a press badge issued by the Standing Rock Reservation, but that the police weren’t recognizing those credentials. Police told him to back up, then immediately arrested him.

“They also told me to ‘stop resisting’ even though I was not resisting arrest,” he said. “They also told me I was under arrest for trespassing but I was never charged with trespassing.”

Schrader told police multiple times that he was a journalist, but still spent 36 hours in jail. Police impounded Schrader’s rental car, which contained a notebook and a voice recorder. He was charged with felony endangerment by fire or explosion and misdemeanor charges of maintaining a public nuisance and rioting.

He said that he filed police reports for the return of the items, but they were not returned. A spokesperson for the sheriff’s department told the Bismarck Tribune in 2016 that vehicles impounded by police were not searched and no evidence was taken from them.

The felony charge was dropped in November 2016, with no explanation.

A group of press freedom advocacy groups, including Freedom of the Press Foundation, of which the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is a project, wrote a letter in March 2017 to the Morton County State’s Attorney asking for the charges against Schrader and other journalists arrested during the protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline to be dropped.

The misdemeanor charges were dropped in August 2017 — “right before I was supposed to go to trial,” Schrader said.

“It did mess with my psychological health a bit,” he said of the experience.

August 21, 2017 - Update

All charges against Schrader dropped

On Aug. 21, 2017, Schrader announced on Twitter that all of the charges against him had been dropped.

October 27, 2016

Adam Schrader, an independent journalist who contributes to the New York Daily News and other outlets, was arrested on Oct. 27, 2016 while filming clashes between police and protesters. Schrader told the Bismarck Tribune that he was arrested after asking a police officer about the use of pepper spray against protesters.

Schrader was initially charged with endangering by fire or explosion (a class C felony), maintaining a public nuisance (a class A misdemeanor), and engaging in a riot (a class B misdemeanor). The felony endangerment charge was dropped in November 2016, though he still faces the misdemeanor charges. If convicted, he faces one year and 30 days imprisonment and a $4,500 fine.

Police impounded Schrader's rental car following his arrest. Schrader told the Tribune that some items he left in the car — including a notebook and a $400 voice recorder — disappeared while the car was in police custody. A police spokeswoman told the Tribune that police did not search or take any evidence from cars that were impounded.

The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker catalogues press freedom violations in the United States. Email tips to [email protected].

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