June 26, 2020, Philadelphia -- More than two dozen activists were detained on June 23rd after attempting to occupy the Municipal Services Building with last-minute demands for city leaders to drastically reduce the police department’s budget.

Police entered the building in counter terrorism vests and started pushing and arresting people in groups. 

Inquirer reporter Samantha Melamed was also briefly detained during the demonstration— despite clearly identifying herself as a member of the press. Asked why, PPD Deputy Commissioner Dennis Wilson at first answered that he was unsure but said he would correct the issue. After further questioning, Wilson left to check on the reporter’s status and Melamed was released from custody.

The detainment appears to contradict an earlier order from Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw instructing officers to allow reporters to do their jobs “unless extenuating circumstances exist.” As police approach her, Melamed repeatedly says, “I’m a reporter. I’m a reporter.”

“I just told a police officer wielding a baton that I’m a reporter,” she tweeted after her release. 

“He told me to ‘put this on Twitter.’ Then he tightly handcuffed me with zip ties and he and another one mocked me while dragging me backward down two flights of stairs along with few dozen others arrested in MSB.” said Samantha.

City police have detained or arrested at least five members of the press since protests erupted across the city late last month.

Following her arrest Melamed was faced with misogynistic comments, suggesting she must have been “a bad girl” to deserve the arrest.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism takes arrests of journalists as a civil rights issue just as Samantha so eloquently expressed in her tweets. CFWIJ finds the comments to Melamed’s arrest despicable.

Demonstrations sparked across United States after murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, in the pursuit of justice. With numerous police forces deployed to protest sites, journalists face constant threat of violence, arrest and censorship. Hundreds of journalists have reported to have faced attempts at censorship, verbal attacks, blatant threats and police violence. Hundreds of journalists have been arrested while on duty and black journalists who take the ongoing civil unrest very personally are especially targeted. CFWIJ follows the events closely with great concern.

CFWIJ urges authorities to stop using legal mechanisms as a way to censor press and intimidate journalists.