Journalists mistreated while covering protests

Reporters and photographers have been arrested, hit with projectiles or shoved by the police or aimed at with weapons.

The Committee to Protect Journalists lists more than 250 press freedom violations committed on people covering the protests and riots since May 26. Reporters and photographers have been arrested, hit with projectiles or shoved by the police, or aimed at with weapons, even after making it clear that they are part of the media.

Many are familiar with one of the most egregious examples, when CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and his crew were arrested while in the midst of reporting on demonstrations in Minneapolis.

It would have been one thing had these journalists refused to follow police directions, but the video of the incident shows that authorities did not make clear what they wanted, and that Jimenez and his colleagues expressed a willingness to move to another spot if that’s what was required. It’s an absolutely haunting piece of video, but sadly it’s far from the only example.

Then there were the two Australian journalists who were roughed up by police clearing a crowd of protesters outside the White House last Monday. This drew an angry response from one of America’s staunchest allies.

The Columbia Journalism Review published a terrifying account of awful situations that have taken place. It described how Kaitlin Rust, a local news reporter in Louisville, Ky., was part of a crew that was shot with pepper balls by police. When the camera was aimed at one of the officers, he cocked his gun and fired multiple rounds back at the videographer.

The CJR reported that in Minneapolis alone, at least a dozen reporters faced some form of violence. Freelance photographer Linda Tirado lost her left eye after she was struck by what she believes was a rubber bullet fired by police. A local television photojournalist was forced to the floor and arrested by police. Officers tear-gassed a group of journalists including Molly Hennessy-Fiske and Carolyn Cole of the Los Angeles Times; pepper-sprayed and arrested the writer Simon Moya-Smith and shot out the car window of Minneapolis Star Tribune reporter Ryan Faircloth while he was driving. In a video of the incident, Adams can be heard yelling “PRESS” at an officer advancing toward him with a gun; the officer can be heard replying, “I don’t care, get down.” A second officer then pepper-sprayed Adams in the face.

Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Kristen Graham wrote a sobering account of getting arrested while walking back to her car after reporting on protests in her city, with officers disregarding the press credentials she presented in the shadow .Graham wasn’t the only reporter detained by Philadelphia police that day

It’s well understood in our business that journalists face significant risks when they are sent into situations like these. In some cases the demonstrators themselves take out their frustrations on members of the media, and there’s always the danger of getting caught in the crossfire.

We further understand that authorities responding to these situations are under tremendous stress. Trying to restore peace and distinguish perpetrators of violence from others around them is difficult. Mistakes are understandable.

But professional reporters carry credentials with them. Police should honor them rather than arrest or attack people who are doing their jobs. We’ve seen too many examples in recent days of authorities doing just the opposite, even when there was plenty of time to sort out the situation without taking a journalist into custody.

People count on having journalists on the scene when important things are happening so they don’t have to rely solely on official accounts. The images journalists capture often become part of history.

News professionals are ready and willing to put themselves in harm’s way. Police should focus on protecting them rather than adding to the dangers they face.