A TV news crew from Univision runs from an advancing line of federal officers shooting pepper balls at protestors and press. (Screenshot of video provided by Lexis-Olivier Ray)
Reporters detained, shot by rubber bullets, struck with tear gas canisters, and forced to flee a hail of pepper balls. Since recent ICE raids prompted a wave of protests in Los Angeles and elsewhere, we’ve seen journalists facing injury and interference while doing nothing but covering the news.
We’re calling on local and federal authorities responding to protests to use restraint and stop interfering with press rights.
On Monday, FAC, Freedom of the Press Foundation, and Los Angeles Press Club led a coalition of 28 press rights and civil liberties organizations in condemning Department of Homeland Security agents’ conduct in L.A.
As journalists documented attacks and obstruction at the hands of local authorities, we responded by urging the L.A. Sheriff and L.A. Police Department to respect press rights, noting that journalists in California “have additional legal protections that extend beyond the U.S. Constitution.” In one instance, video suggests an LAPD officer stopped a reporter on the street, opened his bag, stole his energy drinks, and ran.
In San Francisco too, reporters have been shoved, detained, and otherwise prevented from doing their jobs. With the Society of Professional Journalists of Northern California, we reminded the SFPD of the department’s obligations to the press under the First Amendment and state law.
Our message is clear: Law enforcement must stop intentional interference in lawful newsgathering.
And with hundreds of marches and protests planned for this weekend, it is even more crucial that federal and local law enforcement officers know and respect press rights.
Journalists are the public’s eyes and ears, working in dangerous conditions to deliver information to us. Their work is even more critical when covering controversial events such as immigration enforcement and related protests.
A threat to journalism is a threat to democracy. We will continue to fight to protect all journalists’ rights to do their jobs.