In the last two months, at least 10 journalists have been arrested while covering protests in St. Louis, leading to multiple press advocacy groups to call on Mayor Lyda Krewson to launch an investigation into the conduct of the police department.
The National Press Photographers Association Committee to Protect Journalists drafted the letter to the Mayor Krewson, asking that an investigation into individual officer conduct be initiated and that increased training on the rights of press and how to properly deal with their presence be considered. The letter was prompted after NPPA member Daniel Shular and Journalist Amina Ali were arrested on October 3, during which Shular did not hear an order to disperse, but was still arrested after showing his credential and was never told he was under arrest or Mirandized, according to his lawyer. They were detained for 18 hours. The NPPA report says that journalists among the approximately 10 arrested in the past two months have alleged that they were "pepper-sprayed, cursed at, and treated with excessive force by police officers. Journalists were arrested even if they identified themselves and showed press credentials."
Of course, if found to be true, the allegations would represent serious violations of the First Amendment. The letter was cosigned by numerous press advocacy groups and was also sent to the Chief of Police and city counselor. You can read the full letter here.
[via NPPA]
Oh my...
I'm in St. Louis and have been covering protests here for several years. That being said, I haven't covered the protests related to this story. Every protest I've covered there has been an order to disperse, even when people claim there wasn't. In a recent protest at a local mall a live streamer was caught in a lie when earlier in stream she stated a couple of times "there goes the dispersal order" and then when the police started arresting protesters she started to yell and claim they never gave the order. I'm not saying that Daniel Shular is lying. It's very possible he didn't hear the order.
The problem the police face is that they don't know who is with the media and who isn't. Anyone with a fake press credential can claim they're with the media, when they're really not. Yes, everyone has the right to be out there to document what is happening, but at some point, right or wrong, when the police give a dispersal order, it's time to pack it in.
The press should have the ability to stay out, after a dispersal order, to document what is happening. The example of this is Baltimore after the Freddie Gray incident. The first night everyone was kicked off the street, including the press. The media fought back and the Baltimore PD issued special credentials to legitimate media outlets. St. Louis PD needs to do the same.