6 more journalists arrested in Ferguson protests

[villager]

Source: CNN

(CNN) -- Six journalists were taken into custody while covering the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, on Monday and early Tuesday, aggravating what one press freedom group has called a "concerted, top-down effort to restrict the fundamental First Amendment rights of the public and the press."

The incidents bring the total number of journalists arrested during the mid-August protests to 11.

Other journalists reported being threatened with arrest and affected by tear-gas on Monday night. Authorities tried to restrict members of the news media to a designated area away from the protests, sometimes nicknamed a "press pen."

The latest arrests came on the same day that President Barack Obama reaffirmed his support for journalists on the ground in Ferguson. "Let me also be clear that our constitutional rights to speak freely, to assemble, and to report in the press must be vigilantly safeguarded, especially in moments like these," the President said at a Monday afternoon news conference.

A couple of hours later, Getty Images photographer Scott Olson was arrested. Getty, one of the main suppliers of photos to news outlets around the world, immediately condemned the police action.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/19/us/ferguson-journalists-arrested/

[villager]

1. Reporters from rightwing outlets, however, get apologies after "accidental" arrests:

"Kerry Picket, a reporter for the conservative website Breitbart News, was arrested around the same time as Olson. She was held for "several hours," the website said.

"Picket was released when it was discovered that the trooper misunderstood directions from his superiors and was told to not allow vehicle traffic through but to allow foot traffic through. Both the arresting officer and his lieutenant apologized to Picket," Breitbart News added."

[Fantastic Anarchist]

3. Unbelievable. n/t

[951-Riverside]

4. "Right wing", "Left wing" it doesn't matter, they shouldn't be arresting reporters to begin with n/t

[villager]

5. Of course not. Just noticing the more deferential treatment to rightwing outlets, however

n/t

[Louisiana1976]

30. That's terrible.

[BlueCaliDem]

54. And it's a good thing to point that out since rightwing journalists are not journalists. They're

propagandists. That makes a huge difference.

[pennylane100]

20. I think you are missing the point.

Of course the press should not be arrested, and for that matter neither should people exercising their first amendment rights.
The fact that they treated differently, according to their political beliefs, makes the behavior of law enforcement more outrageous.

[villager]

35. Exactly so, Pennylane

n/t

[BlueCaliDem]

55. Right-wing journalists are propagandists. And the fact that they get preferential treatment

over fact-loving Left-wing journalists, should be alarming to everybody.

[HooptieWagon]

2. Clear violation of civil rights.

FBI should start arresting the police. The evidence is plenty.

[RKP5637]

27. Definitely! The police are totally out of control in Ferguson! n/t

[Louisiana1976]

32. Yeah--they've brought about a fascist police state there.

[RKP5637]

36. They sure have ... watching what's going on in Ferguson we're not much different from

the violence going on against citizens in other countries. It's the SOS. Cops beating on people for no probable cause. Some cops I think really enjoy it ... it's a recreational sport for them, they look for an excuse ... and if one doesn't come along, they provoke it.

[Bragi]

40. When has a 1A violation ever resulted in a cop conviction?

That's a question.

[HooptieWagon]

41. NYC, Seattle, Miami...

all had to pay multi-million dollar settlements for wrongful arrests.

[Bragi]

50. These were all civil litigation cases, right?

I'm interested to know if a cop has ever been criminally indicted, convicted and sentenced for violating the civil rights of a citizen. Anyone?

[HooptieWagon]

51. Top of google result:

http://articles.courant.com/2013-10-21/news/hc-east-haven-police-civil-rights-20131021_1_david-cari-cari-and-spaulding-dennis-spaulding

There's pages and pages of hits.

[Bragi]

52. Thanks

Memo to self: improve search skills.

[HooptieWagon]

53. Google "police conviction civil rights violation" nt

[newfie11]

6. Land of the free????

[freebrew]

39. Trouble from the cops...

is the only thing free here. The trouble that follows, however, costs tons of $$ in lawyer fees and fines.

[JDPriestly]

7. What do you expect? The Obama administration itself has attacked journalists including

Greenwald, Risen and Assange and their sources. If the US intelligence agencies and the military can prevent the press from obtaining information that the public needs to know in order to vote intelligently, why shouldn't the local police?

I don't know all the facts about what happened in Ferguson. The story is very confused because the police have been so secretive about what really happened. But I do know that secrecy at any level, even in the family, causes mistrust and dissension and ultimately division.

If we are to have a representative government that answers to the people, we cannot have government secrecy at any level other than what is absolutely essential and minimal for the protection of the country. Any secrecy beyond that minimum is incompatible with what we claim to be as a nation.

Goes for Ferguson. Goes for Washington, D.C. Goes for the world as far as American involvement is concerned. You work for the government. You get a steady paycheck, civil service rights and a pension -- you are honest and open with the American people. No secrets when it comes to public business. You are our employee whether you are a general, a CIA officer, a senator, a judge or the president. Same for sheriffs and mayors and the whole lot of them.

This sheriff seems to be a law unto himself. Who is in charge of him? To whom does he answer? He needs to do a better job answering to the public.

[villager]

8. "You are only as sick as your secrets," as they say in recovery work.

Which means, we're a very sick country, indeed.

[littlemissmartypants]

23. ^ eom

[mimi85]

25. Greenwald and friends have

been attacked here also. Rightfully so.

[RKP5637]

28. Very well said! This convoluted secrecy is fueling what is going on in Ferguson ...

"secrecy at any level, even in the family, causes mistrust and dissension and ultimately division."

The people feel they are being lied too by incompetents and rightly so. The handling of the entire situation is incredibly bad. And the cops run around like an invasion force, which they are.

The cops appear to have free rein to do whatever they want. The entire situation is very weird, I don't blame the people one bit for being totally pissed ... and through normal grievance none are going to listen to them ... without the uprising IMO the entire event would have been whitewashed over.

[Louisiana1976]

33. +1 million

[grahamhgreen]

9. It's called a police state.

[RKP5637]

29. Sure is ... and is where the US is headed in many areas if not checked. Cops have become an

invasion force in many areas if given the chance.

[Louisiana1976]

34. Exactly.

[C Moon]

10. Yep. I watched this live on ARGUS.

The police had the press in a cordoned off area, and after the police marched by, they told the press (over a loud speaker) to drive to another area; at that area they were told to drive to another area. At which point, it looked more like a "press latest-update" setting (mics and cameras setup, waiting for the chief of police to speak, or something).

[jwirr]

11. This police force has not only set itself up against the residents of FergusonMO but also all of us.

The media are the eyes and ears of the people. We have a right to know what is going on in our country. Hopefully there will be some kind of consequences for this action. Like bundy trying to steal our land the police here are trying to steal our right to know.

[turbinetree]

12. Really

Lets make this perfectly clear we have the FIX (FOX) Noise machine with all of its talking heads stoking the flames of a corrupt government and inciting the right wing fascist out in Nevada and other parts of the country pointing guns at the BLM and we have the law enforcement pointing guns at citizens in Ferguson and every 28 minutes someone is shot, we have really got to thank the NRA, Gun Owners of America and the Supreme Court for turning this country into a third world nightly news special.
Let's watch and hear these same hypocrites use fear tactics to shred the constitution and watch them say they are patriots.
Patriots of what?

[RKP5637]

31. Well said!!! Also, I often ask the same, "Patriots of what?" ... and for whom? These self-crowned

patriots certainly do not represent me.

[Dustlawyer]

13. Screw the 2nd Amendment, they want to kill the 1st Amendment!

This is their play book for all future protests! Keep the reporters from seeing the reality of what they are doing, but enough so people learn that if they dare to "peaceably assemble" they will be beat, gassed, and arrested! You recall what the first two reporters were repeatedly told while being arrested, "Stop resisting, stop resisting", "I am not resisting", "Stop resisting!"
They will trump up assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, and whatever else they come up with. The D.A. Needs cops on his side so he will play along to keep on good terms. This is the same conflict of interest that keeps him from filing charges and opposing a Special Prosecutor and the local cops being replaced by State Troopers!

[George II]

14. It used to be journalists reported on the news, now it seems "journalists" are out to MAKE the news!

[daleanime]

17. Basic physics....

[951-Riverside]

21. Simply reporting reporting the news could be construed as "making the news" by some n/t

[HooptieWagon]

43. When govt prevents journalists from reporting the news...

... THAT is when journalism becomes making the news.

[opulent80]

15. As government expands

Liberty contracts.

[villager]

16. Corporate expansion doesn't seem to be doing a hell of a lot for liberty either

n/t

[Louisiana1976]

37. That's the definition of fascism--business and the government going hand-in-hand.

[villager]

38. "Welcome to America"

...as I was greeted by a small town Mayor once, when sporting shaggy 70's-era hair...

[daleanime]

19. ........

[Enthusiast]

24. Bullshit.

The size of government has nothing whatever to do with it.

[upaloopa]

26. Sorry to let you know but life doesn't fit an ideology.

Living by an ideology is so restricting. Life is vastly more complex than that. Of course to see that means you have to use your intelligence and stop letting other people think for you.

[FiveGoodMen]

18. Sounds like Dubya's back in office.

[riqster]

22. Beat me to it. Free Speech Zones.

[blkmusclmachine]

48. Did he ever leave???

[burnsei sensei]

42. 1st Amendment???

nt

[Uncle Joe]

44. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, villager.

[whereisjustice]

45. the police have become a private army working for the rich and against everyone else, black or white

[tclambert]

46. Man, I wish those journalists would quit rioting.

They are so disruptive of law and order. And those protesters marching around with their hands up in such a threatening manner. It's no wonder the police have lost their minds and started attacking peaceful, unarmed people. The cops just want everybody to respect their authority with no questions . . . and accept the occasional death from collateral damage. Plus, they got a deal on this cool military gear.

[blkmusclmachine]

47. This is what a Police State looks like. And our DEMS, as always, doing nothing but sitting on their

hands and "lookin' forward."

[villager]

49. Gotta keep that powder dry! Don't want to offend anyone! There's an election coming up!

But meanwhile -- thanks for all the votes!

[JohnnyRingo]

56. It's getting so if a reporter doesn't get arrested...

..one has to wonder why he isn't doing his job. It seems that when a reporter gets close to the story they get pushed back with threats of misdemeaner arrest.

If the cops weren't bothering with me as a reporter there, I may be tempted to toss a rock to reassure my employer his money's worth. hahaha