United States: Journalists’ work impeded due to threats

Minneapolis, Minnesota, UNITED STATES, June 2 2020-  Madeleine Baran and Samara Freemark were reporting from the demonstration scene in Minneapolis on May 30 when a police officer ran towards them, pointing a weapon - believed to be either a projectile or a tear gas weapon- and instructing them to “GO!”.

APM reporters Baran and Freemark indicated clearly they were journalists but the officer did not lower their gun pointed towards the reporters’ heads which forced them to “call it a night”.

A Minneapolis police officer pointed a weapon at me at @sfreemark’s heads, while we were standing on Nicollet and 32nd covering the protests. I yelled that I’m a journalist. He did not lower his weapon, so we ran. Calling it a night.

— Madeleine Baran (@madeleinebaran) May 30, 2020

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press expressed their concerns over the atrocious incident and offered help to the journalists, highlighting that such clear and targeted acts of violence do not only endanger journalists but also used as a way of intimidating the masses. 

Journalists covering protests across the country have been deliberately shot at with rubber bullets, tear gassed, pepper sprayed, detained, and arrested by law enforcement officers, and attacked and harassed by protestors.

Statement from @rcfp executive director Bruce Brown: pic.twitter.com/f8ewaarTIG

— Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (@rcfp) May 31, 2020

Demonstrations sparked across the 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.