Woke up this morning to more instances of police unacceptably targeting and using force against journalists in the US over the last week. The list is far too long & this is unacceptable -- especially in the United States of America.
Time for a thread. This is just a sampling:
Time for a thread. This is just a sampling:
Let's start with my colleagues @OmarJimenez, Bill Kirkos & Leonel Mendez who were arrested while covering the aftermath of protests & riots in Minneapolis. It happened on live television: washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/medi…
In Louisville, a police officer fired pepper balls directly at a WAVE 3 News TV crew. Through the photojournalists lens, you can see the police officer aiming directly at him:
wave3.com/2020/05/29/lmp…
wave3.com/2020/05/29/lmp…
Photojournalist Linda Tirado (@KillerMartinis) was left permanently blind in one eye after being struck with a projectile fired by police: nbcnews.com/think/opinion/…
Back to Minnesota, the State Patrol also roughed up and fired tear gas and pepper spray at a group of journalists covering protests there. In this video from @mollyhf you can hear the group repeatedly shouting: "We're reporters!...Press! Press!"
In LA, photog Barbara Davidson was shoved by a police officer
"After saying, “Sir, I am a journalist covering this,” Ms. Davidson turned to walk away, and the officer shoved her in the back, causing her to trip and hit her head against a fire hydrant"
nytimes.com/2020/06/01/bus…
"After saying, “Sir, I am a journalist covering this,” Ms. Davidson turned to walk away, and the officer shoved her in the back, causing her to trip and hit her head against a fire hydrant"
nytimes.com/2020/06/01/bus…
NYPD officers repeatedly struck WSJ reporter @tylergabriel while he was covering protests in NY. He was visibly wearing his NYPD-issued press credentials:
More out of New York: Last night, NYPD officers surrounded, shoved and yelled expletives at two AP journalists:
“Get the fuck out of here you piece of shit," one of the officers shouted:
apnews.com/1d2d9e4afdd822…
“Get the fuck out of here you piece of shit," one of the officers shouted:
apnews.com/1d2d9e4afdd822…
Vice News correspondent @MichaelAdams317 was pepper sprayed while he was laying on the ground after identifying himself as press repeatedly.
He captured that on video:
He captured that on video:
In DC, federal police attacked a @7NewsAustralia team, including the cameraman who was holding, well, a camera.
The Australian Prime Minister has called for an investigation into the incident.
wjla.com/news/local/aus…
The Australian Prime Minister has called for an investigation into the incident.
wjla.com/news/local/aus…
NBC's Ed Ou was pepper sprayed, hit with a baton and projectile fired by police in Minneapolis. Here's what he looked like after the incident (Photo credit: Chandan Khanna/AFP) nytimes.com/2020/06/01/bus… 
In New York, photographer Adam Gray was arrested and charged with unlawful assembly while photographing protests:
And last night in DC, my colleagues @MarquardtA & @Joshrepp were pepper sprayed while live on the air:
There are sadly many more incidents like this. @uspresstracker & @N_Waters89, among others, are doing a great job documenting all of this for the sake of accountability.
