STRONG CONVICTION: @realmikesolan held Fri. press conf. supporting @SeattlePD officers. He also discussed being targeted by “fringe activists.” Remember, they marched to his home and tried to burn down @SPOG1952 headquarters. He sees they’re also going after journalists like me.
DIFFERENT WORLDVIEW: Interaction with an activist during height of Seattle’s riots.
ACTIVIST: You’re right wing media(KOMO) and putting these protestors in harms way by showing their faces.
ME: Huh? You’re on public property damaging buildings. Im just recording your actions.
SEVEN HILLS PARK ENCAMPMENT CLEARING BEHIND THE SCENES: This happened to our crew just a few weeks ago. We were confronted and demonized for showing this reality in Capitol Hill. City moved in days later and cleared this problematic camp. #Seattle
SEATTLE CITY HALL PARK ENCAMPMENT SWEEP: This past summer, we extensively covered the crime, drug use, shootings, and deaths associated with this park next to the King Co. Courthouse. Final day, this person with mutual aid kept coming at the KOMO crew with aggressive behavior.
FINAL DAYS OF CAL ANDERSON PARK HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT: Let’s not forget this debacle back in Dec 2020. Before the city moved in to clear it, every time KOMO crews showed up to film, we had to deal with people threatening us to leave. In the end, the city won and order was restored.
ANOTHER WELL KNOWN MEDIA HECKLER: As we filmed final days of Cal Anderson Park encampment, this fella tried to disrupt our gathering process. He followed us around Capitol Hill. My security finally intervened after he made contact with us. @mattmarkovich knows him well.
ANTIFA BLACK BLOC: This was another classic moment in 2020. These violent activists surrounded Cal Anderson Park. When we showed up to do interviews, they started throwing rocks and bottles at us. Even with security, we left immediately and went LIVE in a safer location.
ACCUSED OF BEING FASCIST: I was in Seattle’s Lake City neighborhood this past September, and this kid rolls up and starts to swear at me. I was a little taken aback. My photog and I rolled. He also referenced @MrAndyNgo
This is when I knew my reporting was having an impact.
BAILED OUT BY SEATTLE POLICE: Multiple incidents like this. We’re gathering and then some random dude comes up and starts to berate us for being KOMO TV. To this day I still don’t know who this @SeattlePD officer is, but I want to thank him.
SUMMER OF LOVE 2020: @KIRO7Seattle@KING5Seattle@fox13seattle@komonews reporters and photogs had umbrellas shoved in our faces covering multiple riots, like this one where Antifa/ black bloc folk hijacked a protest and torched the new youth jail being built in Seattle.
FELT HORRIBLE FOR THIS PHOTOG: What are they trying to hide? ☂ ☔️ Moments later, violent activists torched buildings and went on a rampage, also targeting corporate owned biz like @Starbucks and @amazon#Seattle#SummerOfLove
THIS WAS SCARY: I got separated from my security guard. As I was recording the violent activists vandalizing @WholeFoods in Seattle’s First Hill, the guy with this beak mask tried to stop me from recording. He grabbed my phone, but I wrestled him to the ground and got it back.
UNIDENTIFIED ATTACKER: First time I am publicly talking about this incident. Many of my journo colleagues know. This is the guy who assaulted me and tried to take my phone. He also chased me through the crowd, but I managed to escape just with this banged up elbow. #SummerofLove
SOMEONE MUST HAVE RECORDED? If anyone has video from July 25,2020 and captured this assault near @WholeFoods on First Hill, please let me know. It’s even more proof that journos in America are also being targeted for doing their jobs. @pressfreedom
NEEDS ANOTHER HOBBY: So this is one of the many threatening and hateful DM’s I’ve received. But this person’s been relentlessly coming at me since last year. Is it worth reporting to @Twitter? 🤷🏾♂️ #Seattle
THIS IS A NEW ONE: Never been called a “White Nationalist.”
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#BREAKING: Officer involved shooting near 2nd Ave. and Marion St. in downtown #Seattle. Call came in around 8:15pm. Witness says man fired gun, @SeattlePD returned fire. Details still coming in. Active scene. Stay with @komonews 11pm for the latest.
ANOTHER VANTAGE POINT:
1st AVE and MADISON St. SIDE: Crime scene tape around several blocks. Witnesses say multiple gunshots “sounded like fireworks.” Condition of shooter unclear at this time. @SeattlePD Mobile Precinct is out. More than a dozen squad cars. Evidence being collected. @komonews#Seattle
ENOUGH: I'm talking to many journalists who are tired of being threatened, doxxed, intimidated, and in some cases, violently assaulted by aggressive activists or dare I say it, "Antifa." But journos like me and @MrAndyNgo should not have to walk alone. ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2022…
It’s time for journalists and other news outlets to make a decision. Either we sit passively on the sidelines, or we publicly condemn the threats and violence. I am calling on industry friends like @rcfp@aaja@spj_tweets@pressfreedom@uspresstracker@FTVLive to do the same.
With the warmer months ahead of us in Seattle, we are going to see more protests. Most of it will be peaceful. But when certain actors choose to block our cameras with umbrellas, physically assault us, and prevent us from shining a light on the truth, that’s a problem. 👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽
#BREAKING: Witnesses say car just plowed into the crowd on 11th Ave Capitol Hill near East Precinct. Driver got out and shot a man. Police have a suspect in custody. Victim expected to recover. @komonews
Witnesses say the driver was a middle aged white man. Victim hit by car and shot is black. Again suspect in custody. Victim expected to recover. @komonews