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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/14/ferguson-police-arrest-reporters-as-unrest-continues-over-michael-brown-shooting
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Ferguson police arrest reporters amid rage over Michael Brown shooting | Ferguson police arrest reporters amid rage over Michael Brown shooting |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Five nights after an unarmed black teenager was shot dead in Ferguson, Missouri by an officer from the town’s predominantly white police force, tensions were once again running high on Wednesday. Teargas was fired at demonstrators and two reporters were arrested. The Washington Post condemned the detention of its journalist as “illegal” and an “assault on the freedom of the press to cover the news”. | |
| Groups of protesters, demonstrating over the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown, faced off with armed police in riot and military gear. | Groups of protesters, demonstrating over the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown, faced off with armed police in riot and military gear. |
| Here is gas fired moments ago: pic.twitter.com/y5CJlEHcJw | Here is gas fired moments ago: pic.twitter.com/y5CJlEHcJw |
| Pictures taken by photographers and TV camera crews showed police snipers overlooking protesters. | Pictures taken by photographers and TV camera crews showed police snipers overlooking protesters. |
| The #STL SWAT team has weapons drawn in #Ferguson at a protest in broad daylight with media attending pic.twitter.com/z6zIVuCM6D | The #STL SWAT team has weapons drawn in #Ferguson at a protest in broad daylight with media attending pic.twitter.com/z6zIVuCM6D |
| The Guardian’s Jon Swaine witnessed the arrest of two reporters: Wesley Lowery of the Washington Post and Ryan J Reilly of the Huffington Post. | The Guardian’s Jon Swaine witnessed the arrest of two reporters: Wesley Lowery of the Washington Post and Ryan J Reilly of the Huffington Post. |
| Jon writes: | Jon writes: |
| The two reporters were taken in cuffs from a McDonald’s in downtown Ferguson and placed in an unmarked white police van. | The two reporters were taken in cuffs from a McDonald’s in downtown Ferguson and placed in an unmarked white police van. |
| “They’re reporters,” shouted one member of the public, who had also been in the restaurant. Another customer confirmed seeing the pair at work inside. Lowery and Reilly both tweeted about being asked to leave the restaurant moments before the pair were seen being arrested. | “They’re reporters,” shouted one member of the public, who had also been in the restaurant. Another customer confirmed seeing the pair at work inside. Lowery and Reilly both tweeted about being asked to leave the restaurant moments before the pair were seen being arrested. |
| Asked why he was being detained, the first reporter shouted: “For videotaping them.” When I approached a police line in an effort to confirm the reporters’ identities, I was threatened with arrest and told to retreat. | Asked why he was being detained, the first reporter shouted: “For videotaping them.” When I approached a police line in an effort to confirm the reporters’ identities, I was threatened with arrest and told to retreat. |
| The arrests came as a line of police in riot gear swept eastward along West Florissant street, the main drag in downtown Ferguson where demonstrations have flared for the past three nights. Residents were forced out of the street as they tried to return to their homes. | The arrests came as a line of police in riot gear swept eastward along West Florissant street, the main drag in downtown Ferguson where demonstrations have flared for the past three nights. Residents were forced out of the street as they tried to return to their homes. |
| Jon posted this picture of the arrests. | Jon posted this picture of the arrests. |
| Photo of reporter I believe to be @ryanjreilly being cuffed and put in a police van minutes ago in #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/l6olRUPk13 | Photo of reporter I believe to be @ryanjreilly being cuffed and put in a police van minutes ago in #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/l6olRUPk13 |
| On Twitter, Lowery and Reilly shared details of their arrests after they were released by police. | On Twitter, Lowery and Reilly shared details of their arrests after they were released by police. |
| Officers decided we weren't leaving McDonalds quickly enough, shouldn't have been taping them. | Officers decided we weren't leaving McDonalds quickly enough, shouldn't have been taping them. |
| Officers slammed me into a fountain soda machine because I was confused about which door they were asking me to walk out of | Officers slammed me into a fountain soda machine because I was confused about which door they were asking me to walk out of |
| Was waiting to be taken away, large black man SCREAMING for help in back of police truck | Was waiting to be taken away, large black man SCREAMING for help in back of police truck |
| They refused his several calls for paramedics | They refused his several calls for paramedics |
| "I'm dying. I'm dying. Please call help he screamed." They mocked him | "I'm dying. I'm dying. Please call help he screamed." They mocked him |
| Got no explaination at any point why in custody other than "trespassing" - at a mcdonalds where we were customers | Got no explaination at any point why in custody other than "trespassing" - at a mcdonalds where we were customers |
| I'm emotional, but need to note: Ryan and I are fine. Have seen people in Ferguson hurt by gas/rubber bullets. This wasn't that | I'm emotional, but need to note: Ryan and I are fine. Have seen people in Ferguson hurt by gas/rubber bullets. This wasn't that |
| After the pair were arrested, Matt Pearce of the Los Angeles Times called the Ferguson police chief, Thomas Jackson. | After the pair were arrested, Matt Pearce of the Los Angeles Times called the Ferguson police chief, Thomas Jackson. |
| I just called Ferguson police chief to ask about @WesleyLowery and @ryanjreilly, told him what I knew. His response: "Oh, God." | I just called Ferguson police chief to ask about @WesleyLowery and @ryanjreilly, told him what I knew. His response: "Oh, God." |
| Pearce went on to point out that Jackson had been interviewed earlier in the day by both reporters. From Lowery’s subsequent account, it appears that Jackson intervened and ordered their release. | Pearce went on to point out that Jackson had been interviewed earlier in the day by both reporters. From Lowery’s subsequent account, it appears that Jackson intervened and ordered their release. |
| "The chief thought he was doing you a favor" - police officer tells me about release. With no charges, no police report | "The chief thought he was doing you a favor" - police officer tells me about release. With no charges, no police report |
| It's as if the arrest and the assaults never took place. Just opened the doors and let is out as if we'd let it go | It's as if the arrest and the assaults never took place. Just opened the doors and let is out as if we'd let it go |
| Really upset, and have conflicting emotions - but can't shake anger that (part) of story about my stupid detention and not about ferguson | Really upset, and have conflicting emotions - but can't shake anger that (part) of story about my stupid detention and not about ferguson |
| Other reporters shared video and images live from Ferguson, and there were two live streams covering events as dusk fell. | Other reporters shared video and images live from Ferguson, and there were two live streams covering events as dusk fell. |
| Marty Baron, executive editor of the Washington Post, condemned the arrests in strong terms. The Post reported: | Marty Baron, executive editor of the Washington Post, condemned the arrests in strong terms. The Post reported: |
| In a statement issued Wednesday night, Martin D Baron, executive editor of The Washington Post, said “there was absolutely no justification for his arrest” and said the organization was appalled by the conduct of the officers involved. | In a statement issued Wednesday night, Martin D Baron, executive editor of The Washington Post, said “there was absolutely no justification for his arrest” and said the organization was appalled by the conduct of the officers involved. |
| Lowery was illegally instructed to stop taking video and followed police instructions, Baron said, after which he was slammed into a machine and handcuffed. | Lowery was illegally instructed to stop taking video and followed police instructions, Baron said, after which he was slammed into a machine and handcuffed. |
| “That behavior was wholly unwarranted and an assault on the freedom of the press to cover the news,” Baron said. “The physical risk to Wesley himself is obvious and outrageous.” | “That behavior was wholly unwarranted and an assault on the freedom of the press to cover the news,” Baron said. “The physical risk to Wesley himself is obvious and outrageous.” |
| Earlier, the Guardian’s Jon Swaine posted pictures and video of heavily armed police pushing protesters back down the streets, and an image he believed to be of the two reporters being arrested. | Earlier, the Guardian’s Jon Swaine posted pictures and video of heavily armed police pushing protesters back down the streets, and an image he believed to be of the two reporters being arrested. |
| Photo of reporter I believe to be @ryanjreilly being cuffed and put in a police van minutes ago in #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/l6olRUPk13 | Photo of reporter I believe to be @ryanjreilly being cuffed and put in a police van minutes ago in #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/l6olRUPk13 |
| A few of the cops and their weapons pushing residents out of #Ferguson right now pic.twitter.com/INqFGIPOCF | A few of the cops and their weapons pushing residents out of #Ferguson right now pic.twitter.com/INqFGIPOCF |
| Alderman Antonio French shared a video of prayer in front of police vehicles earlier in the day. | Alderman Antonio French shared a video of prayer in front of police vehicles earlier in the day. |
| Here’s a Twitter list of useful sources in Ferguson. | Here’s a Twitter list of useful sources in Ferguson. |