Stop Arresting Journalists

Cops on horseback in a crowd

Courtesy Joseph Rushmore

Too often, police arrest journalists for doing their jobs. These arrests and prosecutions chill important reporting.

Arrests and prosecutions of journalists often violate the First Amendment, and they undermine the public’s right to learn about newsworthy events.

Data from the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker shows that journalists are at heightened risk of arrest while covering protests. But police have also arrested reporters just for gathering news or asking questions. Journalists should never be arrested for doing their jobs.

  1. Joseph Rushmore arrest - courtesy of Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune

    ‘A national embarrassment’

    Arrests/Prosecutions Newsletter

    The flood of press freedom violations against journalists covering protests opposing the Israel-Gaza war is a national embarrassment. The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker has documented dozens of abuses connected to protests and counterprotests, and the numbers will likely grow. These recent incidents confirm what past data in the Tracker has demonstrated: protests are an especially dangerous place for journalists.