Incidents

Incidents are occurrences of violations of the freedom of the press committed by government authorities or private individuals. The API contains information about when the incident took place, who was involved, and what kind of violation happened.

Endpoints

GET incidents/

Gets a list of all incidents.

Parameters

Parameters can be applied to the API request as part of the URL's query string. All parameters are optional.

Query parameters

These parameters can be used to customize the query and response that the API returns.

Query string parameter	Type	Description
limit	integer	The maximum number of results to return per page. If this parameter is not provided, then the set of results will not be paginated.
fields	string	A comma-separated list of field names. The incidents returned in the response will include only the ones given in this parameter. The set of available field names is detailed below.
format	string	Describes the format of the data in the response. Can be either json (the default) or csv.

Filtering parameters

These parameters can be used to filter which incidents are returned in the response. Only incidents that match the values given will be included in the response.

We're still documenting how to use filters, but you can use the same query string parameters that are generated when you filter incidents using the purple search box on the homepage. Here are a few examples:

• Incidents at BLM protests in 2020:
  https://pressfreedomtracker.us/api/edge/incidents/?date_lower=2020-01-01&date_upper=2020-12-31&tags=111
• Arrests and criminal charges in Michigan:
  https://pressfreedomtracker.us/api/edge/incidents/?categories=4&state=26
• Chilling statements involving Trump:
  https://pressfreedomtracker.us/api/edge/incidents/?categories=62&search=Trump

Sample request

curl -X GET "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/api/edge/incidents/?limit=2&format=json"

Sample response

Here is a sample response:

{
  "next": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/api/edge/incidents/?cursor=cD0yMDIxLTAyLTIwLTQ3Mzk%3D&format=json&limit=2",
  "previous": null,
  "results": [
    {
      "title": "Break this exactly I.",
      "url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/break-this-exactly-i/",
      "first_published_at": "2021-04-17T04:45:30Z",
      "last_published_at": "2021-04-20T04:45:30Z",
      "latest_revision_created_at": "2021-04-22T04:45:30Z",
      "date": "2021-03-21",
      "exact_date_unknown": false,
      "city": "Carterstad",
      "body": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.</p></div>",
      "teaser": "<div class=\"rich-text\">Mind although win turn.</div>",
      "teaser_image": null,
      "primary_video": null,
      "image_caption": "<div class=\"rich-text\">Wait culture case western any size citizen.</div>",
      "arresting_authority": null,
      "arrest_status": null,
      "status_of_charges": null,
      "release_date": null,
      "detention_date": null,
      "unnecessary_use_of_force": false,
      "lawsuit_name": "Christopher Simpson v. Lisa Armstrong",
      "status_of_seized_equipment": null,
      "is_search_warrant_obtained": false,
      "actor": null,
      "border_point": null,
      "stopped_at_border": false,
      "target_us_citizenship_status": null,
      "denial_of_entry": false,
      "stopped_previously": false,
      "did_authorities_ask_for_device_access": null,
      "did_authorities_ask_for_social_media_user": null,
      "did_authorities_ask_for_social_media_pass": null,
      "did_authorities_ask_about_work": null,
      "were_devices_searched_or_seized": null,
      "assailant": null,
      "was_journalist_targeted": null,
      "charged_under_espionage_act": false,
      "subpoena_type": null,
      "held_in_contempt": null,
      "detention_status": null,
      "third_party_in_possession_of_communications": null,
      "third_party_business": null,
      "legal_order_type": null,
      "status_of_prior_restraint": null,
      "links": [],
      "equipment_seized": [],
      "equipment_broken": [],
      "state": {
        "name": "Texas",
        "abbreviation": "TX"
      },
      "updates": [],
      "venue": [
        "DarkRed Court of South Dakota",
        "LightSalmon Court of Louisiana"
      ],
      "workers_whose_communications_were_obtained": [
        "John A. Worker",
        "Tyler H. Worker"
      ],
      "target_nationality": [],
      "targeted_institutions": [
        "The Dennisville Tribune 4",
        "The Stevenburgh Tribune 5"
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "current_charges": [],
      "dropped_charges": [],
      "politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
      "authors": [
        "Diana Gomez",
        "Chase Mejia"
      ],
      "categories": [
        "Leak Case"
      ],
      "targeted_journalists": [
        "Ronald Castro (The North Andreastad Daily News 7)",
        "Megan Wright (The Adamsmouth Sun 6)"
      ],
      "subpoena_statuses": null
    },
    {
      "title": "Heavy everything every which activity husband head.",
      "url": "https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/heavy-everything-every-which-activity-husband-head/",
      "first_published_at": "2021-03-08T19:55:23Z",
      "last_published_at": null,
      "latest_revision_created_at": null,
      "date": "2021-02-20",
      "exact_date_unknown": false,
      "city": "Bairdview",
      "body": "<div class=\"rich-text\"><p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.</p></div>",
      "teaser": "<div class=\"rich-text\">Memory himself never pass thing relate store.</div>",
      "teaser_image": null,
      "primary_video": null,
      "image_caption": "<div class=\"rich-text\">Over network rate act however seek.</div>",
      "arresting_authority": null,
      "arrest_status": null,
      "status_of_charges": null,
      "release_date": null,
      "detention_date": null,
      "unnecessary_use_of_force": false,
      "lawsuit_name": null,
      "status_of_seized_equipment": null,
      "is_search_warrant_obtained": false,
      "actor": null,
      "border_point": null,
      "stopped_at_border": false,
      "target_us_citizenship_status": null,
      "denial_of_entry": false,
      "stopped_previously": false,
      "did_authorities_ask_for_device_access": null,
      "did_authorities_ask_for_social_media_user": null,
      "did_authorities_ask_for_social_media_pass": null,
      "did_authorities_ask_about_work": null,
      "were_devices_searched_or_seized": null,
      "assailant": null,
      "was_journalist_targeted": null,
      "charged_under_espionage_act": false,
      "subpoena_type": null,
      "held_in_contempt": null,
      "detention_status": null,
      "third_party_in_possession_of_communications": null,
      "third_party_business": null,
      "legal_order_type": null,
      "status_of_prior_restraint": null,
      "links": [],
      "equipment_seized": [],
      "equipment_broken": [],
      "state": null,
      "updates": [],
      "venue": [],
      "workers_whose_communications_were_obtained": [],
      "target_nationality": [],
      "targeted_institutions": [
        "The Dianestad Post 1581",
        "The West Jonathon Tribune 1582"
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "current_charges": [],
      "dropped_charges": [],
      "politicians_or_public_figures_involved": [],
      "authors": [],
      "categories": [
        "Subpoena / Legal Order"
      ],
      "targeted_journalists": [
        "Leah Barnett (The Lake Chrisfurt Sun 1583)"
      ],
      "subpoena_statuses": null
    }
  ]
}

Field descriptions

This table describes all the fields on the incident objects in the results object array.

Field	Description	Data Type
title	Title of the incident	string
url	URL linking to the article about this incident on the Press Freedom Tracker website	string
first_published_at	When the article about this incident was first published.	datetime
last_published_at	When the article about this incident was most recently published.	datetime
latest_revision_created_at	When the article about this incident was most recently updated.	datetime
date	When the incident happened.	date
exact_date_unknown	This field will be set to true if the exact date of the incident is not known, meaning the date field is not a precise value.	boolean
city	The city the incident happened in.	string
state	The state the incident happened in.	object
body	The HTML content of the article about this incident on the Press Freedom Tracker website	string
teaser	A short description of the content of the article about this incident on the Press Freedom Tracker website	string
teaser_image	The URL of an image related to this incident.	string
primary_video	The URL of a video related to this incident.	string
image_caption	The caption of image from the teaser_image field.	string
arresting_authority	The name of the law-enforcement organization involve in an arrest incident.	string
arrest_status	The status of the arrest in an arrest incident. Can be one of: UNKNOWN, DETAINED_NO_PROCESSING, DETAINED_CUSTODY, ARRESTED_CUSTODY, or ARRESTED_RELEASED.	string
status_of_charges	The status of the charges in the incident. Can be one of: UNKNOWN, NOT_CHARGED, CHARGES_PENDING, CHARGES_DROPPED, CONVICTED, ACQUITTED, or PENDING_APPEAL.	string
release_date	The date of release for an arrest incident.	date
detention_date	The date of detention for an arrest incident.	date
unnecessary_use_of_force	If unnecessary force was used in the incident.	boolean
lawsuit_name	The name of the lawsuit pertaining to the incident.	string
status_of_seized_equipment	The status of any equipment seized during the incident. Can be one of: UNKNOWN, CUSTODY, RETURNED_FULL, or RETURNED_PART.	string
is_search_warrant_obtained	Whether or not a search warrant was obtained for this incident.	boolean
actor	A description of the principal actor involved in the incident. Can be one of: UNKNOWN, LAW_ENFORCEMENT, PRIVATE_SECURITY, POLITICIAN, PUBLIC_FIGURE, or PRIVATE_INDIVIDUAL.	string
border_point	What border-crossing point a border-stop incident occurred at.	string
stopped_at_border	If the incident involved a stop at the border.	boolean
target_us_citizenship_status	The citizenship status of the target of the incident. Can be one of: US_CITIZEN, PERMANENT_RESIDENT, or NON_RESIDENT	string
denial_of_entry	If the incident involved denying entry to the country.	boolean
stopped_previously	If the incident targeted someone who had been previously stopped at the border.	boolean
did_authorities_ask_for_device_access	If authorities asked for access to the target's electronic devices during the incident. Can be one of: NOTHING, JUST_TRUE, JUST_FALSE.	string
did_authorities_ask_for_social_media_user	If authorities asked for the target's social media username during the incident. Can be one of: NOTHING, JUST_TRUE, JUST_FALSE.	string
did_authorities_ask_for_social_media_pass	If authorities asked for the target's social media password during the incident. Can be one of: NOTHING, JUST_TRUE, JUST_FALSE.	string
did_authorities_ask_about_work	If authorities asked about the target's work during the incident. Can be one of: NOTHING, JUST_TRUE, JUST_FALSE.	string
were_devices_searched_or_seized	If devices were searched or seized during the incident. Can be one of: NOTHING, JUST_TRUE, JUST_FALSE.	string
assailant	The type of assailant in an assault incident. Can be one of: UNKNOWN, LAW_ENFORCEMENT, PRIVATE_SECURITY, POLITICIAN, PUBLIC_FIGURE, or PRIVATE_INDIVIDUAL.	string
was_journalist_targeted	If a journalist was specifically targeted in the incident. Can be one of NOTHING, JUST_TRUE, JUST_FALSE.	string
charged_under_espionage_act	If someone was charged under the espionage act as part of the incident.	boolean
subpoena_type	The type of subpoena used in a legal case incident. Can be one of TESTIMONY_ABOUT_SOURCE, OTHER_TESTIMONY, JOURNALIST_COMMUNICATIONS	string
held_in_contempt	If the target was held in contempt of court during the incident. Can be one of NOTHING, JUST_TRUE, JUST_FALSE.	string
detention_status	The status of the detainee. Can be one of HELD_IN_CONTEMPT_NO_JAIL, IN_JAIL, or RELEASED.	string
third_party_in_possession_of_communications	A description of what third-party possess communications in an incident involving a legal order for a journalist's records.	string
third_party_business	What type of business the above third-party is engaged in. Can be one of: TELECOM, TECH_COMPANY, ISP, FINANCIAL, TRAVEL or OTHER.	string
legal_order_type	What type of legal order was involved in the incident. Can be one of: SUBPOENA, 2703, WARRANT, NATIONAL_SECURITY_LETTER, FISA or OTHER.	string
status_of_prior_restraint	Status of prior restraint related to the incident. Can be one of PENDING, DROPPED, STRUCK_DOWN, UPHELD, or IGNORED.	string
links	A collection of links pertaining to the incident.	array of objects
equipment_seized	What equipment, and how much, was seized during the incident.	array of objects
equipment_broken	What equipment, and how much, was broken during the incident.	array of objects
updates	Updates to the article on the Press Freedom Tracker after it was initially published.	array of strings
venue	Courts that are hearing or have heard the case related to the incident.	array of strings
workers_whose_communications_were_obtained	Targets whose communications were obtained in leak investigation incidents.	array of strings
target_nationality	Nationalities of targets of the incident.	array of strings
target_institutions	Institutions targeted during the incident.	array of strings
tags	Tags used to classify the incident.	array of strings
current_charges	Charges made in legal cases related to the incident.	array of strings
dropped_charges	Charges made that were later dropped as part of the incident.	array of strings
politicians_or_public_figures_involved	Politicians or public figures involved in the incident.	array of strings
authors	Authors of the article about the incident on the Press Freedom Tracker website.	array of strings
categories	Categories that the incident is filed-under on the Press Freedom Tracker website.	array of strings
targeted_journalists	Journalists (and what institution they belonged to, if any) targeted during the incident.	array of strings
subpoena_statuses	Statuses of any subpoenas involved in the incident. For each subpoena, the status can be one of: UNKNOWN, PENDING, DROPPED, QUASHED, UPHELD, CARRIED_OUT, or IGNORED.	array of strings