Press Freedom in Crisis

While covering protests across the nation — spurred by the death of George Floyd, a Black man in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020 — an unprecedented number of journalists have been assaulted, arrested or otherwise prevented from documenting history. As the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker verifies more than 930 reported incidents across 79 cities, you’ll find them here.

VISUALIZING ATTACKS ON PRESS FREEDOM | Incidents are charted here by date as they are published. Explore our data using the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker API.

View incidents in database

Data is still taking shape

We’re working to independently verify these continuing reports of attacks on press freedom.

Latest reported aggressions against the press as of Thursday, Oct. 29

*886+ total press freedom incidents*

120+ arrests
222 physical attacks (160 by law enforcement)
202 rubber bullet / projectiles
102 tear gassings
67 pepper sprayings
91 equipment/newsroom damage
82 other/TBD
— U.S. Press Freedom Tracker (@uspresstracker) October 29, 2020

Due to the overwhelming number of aggressions against the press made public since protests began, we're making interim reported incidents available as we investigate them.

Reported incidents (open source)

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Press Freedom in Crisis

Data is still taking shape

Documented reports by major category