Incident Details
- Date of Incident
- May 2, 2024
- Arrest Status
- Arrested and released
- Arresting Authority
- New York State Police
- Charges
-
-
Trespassing
- May 2, 2024: Charges pending
- June 11, 2024: Charges dropped
-
Trespassing
- Unnecessary use of force?
- No
Arrest/Criminal Charge
Law enforcement officers broke up an encampment at a pro-Palestinian protest at the State University of New York at New Paltz on May 2, 2024. A multimedia reporter for Spectrum 1 News was among those arrested.
Charge dropped against journalist arrested at NY college protest
The district attorney’s office in Ulster County, New York, agreed on June 11, 2024, to drop a trespassing charge against multimedia journalist John Camera of Spectrum News 1 | Hudson Valley, the DA’s office told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker.
Camera was arrested while covering a pro-Palestinian student protest at the State University of New York at New Paltz on May 2.
In a June 11 motion shared with the Tracker, District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji asked to dismiss all trespassing and disorderly conduct charges from multiple arrests on the campus that day.
Nneji wrote that prosecuting the charges would require enormous time and resources, and “would likely be perceived as injudicious and challenging to the community’s confidence in our criminal justice system.”
The DA’s office did not respond to follow-up requests for the precise date that the charge against Camera was dropped. Camera did not respond to requests for comment from the Tracker.
A multimedia journalist for Spectrum News 1 was arrested May 2, 2024, while covering a pro-Palestinian protest on the campus of the State University of New York at New Paltz, according to New York State Police.
John Camera was reporting on the protest for the cable news channel when tensions escalated between the students at a protest encampment and police. It wasn’t clear whether he wore a press pass or identified himself as a journalist.
Trooper Steven Nevel told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that Camera didn’t move when ordered to disperse. Troopers then arrested him, along with 132 others, according to a Spectrum News report.
Camera was transported to a police station in Kingston, N.Y., without incident, but not jailed, Nevel told the Tracker. He was later charged with a trespassing violation and is scheduled for a court hearing on July 9 at the New Paltz town court. Nevel said he expected the charge to be dropped.
Neither Camera nor Nick Cowdrey, the station’s director of news, responded to email or phone messages requesting comment.
The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker catalogues press freedom violations in the United States. Email tips to [email protected].
