‘No place in our democracy.’ NewsGuild condemns arrests, assaults on journalists.
June 1, 2020 – More than 100 journalists were arrested and assaulted by law enforcement over the weekend while covering unrest across the country, according to the Harvard’s Nieman Lab. Among them were a Los Angeles Times reporter who was tear gassed at point-blank range, a freelance reporter who was permanently blinded in her left eye after being struck with rubber bullets, and a photojournalist for WCCO TV, who was struck with a rubber bullet and taken into custody by Minnesota State Patrol. And millions watched CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and his crew get arrested on live television.
“I was disturbed to see blatant attacks on our press freedom over the weekend. From Fox News to MSNBC, from Minneapolis to Louisville, journalists were among those singled out for simply doing their job — covering protests following the death of George Floyd. Attacks against members of the press, violence against black communities and brutality against peaceful protesters have no place in our democracy,” said NewsGuild President Jon Schleuss.
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