United States: Photographer Chae Kihn arrested during the Anti-Trump Demonstration

November 3, 2020, New York – Freelance photographer Chae Kihn was arrested by New York Police Department (NYPD) while covering an anti-Trump demonstration. The Coalition For Women In Journalism finds these arrests as tactics of suppression and intimidation against journalists who are simply doing their jobs. 

On November 1, 2020, eleven people were arrested in Manhattan during the anti-Trump protests. Among the apprehended was Chae Kihn, a photographer who had recently been covering Black Lives Matter protests. The NYPD denied Kihn’s arrest in a tweet claiming “All arrested individuals from today's protests have been verified to not be NYPD credentialed members of the press.”

It is being reported on social media that earlier today members of the press were arrested during a protest in Manhattan.

These reports are false.

All arrested individuals from today's protests have been verified to not be NYPD credentialed members of the press.” pic.twitter.com/Xbxhk1FK79

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) November 1, 2020

 Chae Kihn is a well-known photographer and journalist whose work has been featured in publications such as the New York Times, the Village Sun, and BOMB magazine. Kihn also has an archive of photographs covering recent demonstrations on her Instagram account.

In an interview with Hyperallergic, Chae said: “They didn’t care I was a photographer. They didn’t care I was press. People who know me were shouting out that I was press, and they didn’t care.” Chae expressed the importance of the press freedom and continued that “What did I do to deserve that? Walk in the road. I am a photographer documenting this movement. What about freedom of the press?” 

In a video recorded by @scootercaster on the protest, Chae can be seen in a white hat before being tackled to the ground at the beginning of the video. The video clearly shows the brutal violence used against the photographer. This incident is the latest of several attacks women journalists have faced recently.

View this post on Instagram

November 1 2020 - MANHATTAN, New York: On the day of a scheduled Trump Caravan #MAGADrag, which did not arrive to the originally planned locations, a group of counter-protesters marched from Madison Square Park along 23rd street toward Chelsea Piers. Once the group arrived at 11th Avenue, a large presence of police in riot gear surrounded and followed the group down 24th street. The police began playing the announcement for the group to leave the roadway and the protesters appeared to be on the sidewalk when the police charged and made several arrests including at least 2 journalists and 8 others, including Hawk Newsome, co-founder of the Greater New York chapter of Black Lives Matter. Scootercaster was nearly detained but eventually pushed back to the sidewalk. The incident took place directly under the High Line park on 24th Street. The group eventually dispersed shortly after. Video by Oliya Scootercaster and @NewYorkCityPeople (FNTV freedomnews.tv) Desk@scootercaster.com for licensing

A post shared by SCOOTERCASTER (FNTV) (@scootercaster) on Nov 1, 2020 at 11:45am PST

Evidently, these arrests are assaults to press freedom and we continue to follow and monitor these events closely. We have a great concern for the safety of women journalists; not only for their well-being, but also for their freedom of expression. CFWIJ will always stand on the side of protecting the rights to free expression and free press. Additionally, we condemn the violence against women journalists. We stand with the photographer Chae Khin and all women journalists who are dealing with similar issues on the ground.