Six more journalists were arrested Monday in Ferguson, Mo. as clashes between protesters and law enforcement escalated further.
Getty said one of its photographers was arrested. Three German journalists were also detained, in addition to a reporter for Glenn Greenwald’s online news venture The Intercept and a reporter for Breitbart News.
Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri Highway Patrol said that at least two people were shot and 31 people were arrested Monday night. At a press conference early Tuesday morning, reporters asked Johnson whether any journalists were among those arrested. The police captain responded that none were journalists, but cautioned that officers may have trouble determining who is a member of the media.
“We may take some of you into custody, but when we do take you into custody and we have found out that you are journalists we have taken the proper action,” he said, as quoted by the Washington Post.
Getty confirmed to NBC News that one of its photographers, Scott Olson, was arrested and released several hours later.
Getty Images photographer arrested #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/ScOaHO8bjY
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 18, 2014
Conservative German daily Die Welt said two journalists, Ansgar Graw and Frank Herrmann, were arrested and detained for three hours after police ordered them to vacate an empty street, according to the Associated Press.
“The street was empty at the time, there was no hint of violence or riotous assembly,” Graw wrote of his arrest, according to The Local, an English-language German news site. “We felt there were no threats, everything is completely peaceful, and we said that we would stay on and take the photos we wanted. Then a young police officer says: ‘Okay, but only if you keep moving. The moment you stay standing, you’ll be arrested. That’s the last warning.'”
The arresting officer gave his name as Donald Duck, Graw wrote.
The Intercept’s Ryan Devereaux was also detained early Tuesday morning.
“According to St. Louis Post-Dispatch photographer David Carson, who witnessed the apprehension, Ryan and a German reporter he was with were both taken into custody by members of a police tactical team,” editor-in-chief John Cook said. “They were handcuffed and placed in a wagon, and Carson was told they were being taken to St. Louis County jail.”
Cook said that The Intercept was unable to reach authorities in Ferguson to determine whether Devereaux was arrested or charged, calling it an “outrage” that the reporter was handcuffed by police while “lawfully” doing his job.
Devereaux tweeted later Tuesday morning that he had been released.
Out of jail. Too many still in there. Phone is dying, be back soon.
— Ryan Devereaux (@rdevro) August 19, 2014
CNN identified the German reporter that was arrested with Devereaux as Lukas Hermsmeier of the newspaper Bild.
Brietbart posted a statement saying that reporter Kerry Picket was arrested Monday afternoon after walking directly to a media staging area instead of taking a detour. Picket was released several hours later with an apology from the arresting Missouri state trooper and his lieutenant, the news outlet said.
Authorities in Ferguson haven’t kept up much of a rapport with journalists on the ground. Reporters for the Huffington Post and the Washington Post said they were arrested last week for failing to leave a McDonald’s quickly enough, while three more journalists said they were detained Sunday night by Capt. Johnson himself.
This post has been updated.
Donald freakin’ Duck? That’s the name you use when you’re committing voter fraud, not abusing your power!
Heavy gun fire? Molotov cocktails? Has there been any independent confirmation of this?
Mr. DUck WAS JUst doING his JOb. LibrUL LAmesTREAm MedIA PROvoKIng ARRests of reportERs TO CreATE NEws AND fOMENt hatred OF poLICe DOing their JObs. WondER wHY FoX newS rEPOrters HAven’t BEEN ARrested. FOOD for THOught…
They think the whole accountability thing is a big joke.
And they appear to be correct.
With respect to the Ferguson police department’s heavy-handed interactions with the news media, it seems that they regard the protections provided by the U.S. Constitution as – to quote a line from a famous movie – “mere guidelines”.