cross-posted from: https://infosec.pub/post/47434364
A few dozen people were stuck inside their formation, known as a kettle. Some were protesters defying a curfew order, which was intended to quell demonstrations at a nearby ICE detention facility. But most appeared to be journalists who were just there to do their job.
A helmet peeked over the shields, which parted to let him through.
“Listen up,” he barked. “If you are press, you got the opportunity right now – and that’s it – to leave. If you don’t leave out here in an orderly fashion, you are coming with us.”
He pointed to someone in the group and snapped: “You are not press.”
Under the city of Newark’s curfew, journalists were exempt if they displayed “verified credentials”. But what counted as verified? And who got to decide?
Media workers had descended on Delaney Hall to document an ongoing hunger strike by ICE detainees over dangerous conditions inside. As protests swelled in surrounding streets, law enforcement’s response contributed to dangerous conditions outside.
In one week, the US Press Freedom Tracker documented 30 assaults by officers on journalists near the facility. ICE doused several photographers with pepper spray and beat them with batons.
...
An officer grabbed his radio to report that press wouldn’t go any further.
A voice crackled back over his speaker: “If they refuse to move, push them back yourselves.”
Back in the kettle, at least three journalists were stranded. Each would spend a full day in custody while lawyers were denied access to see them.
One of the arrested journalists was injured and taken to a hospital. There, he saw two arrested protesters being treated. Without press cameras rolling, it wasn’t immediately clear how or if they were hurt while being detained.
Before being handcuffed, the other remaining journalist had worn a blue vest emblazoned with the word “press”. An ID from his company dangled around his neck. Like the injured journalist, he was a member of the National Press Photographers Association. Officers on the scene told him that his credentials were not verified.
Hours earlier, I’d asked the New Jersey governor’s office what “verified” meant. A day later, I asked the Newark mayor’s office. Neither answered.
That's correct. That's the job of the ministry of Truth.