Tracker catalogs charges — and punishments — for rioters who hurt journalists, damaged gear

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Friends of press freedom:

Welcome to our newsletter around press freedom violations in the United States as captured by the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker ([link removed]) , a project by Freedom of the Press Foundation, in collaboration with CPJ ([link removed]) . To subscribe directly to this monthly newsletter, sign up here ([link removed]) .

A snapshot of press freedom violations as documented by the Tracker so far this year. (U.S. Press Freedom Tracker)

It’s been more than two-and-a-half years since a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, urged by the then-president to stop certification of electoral votes. So why, then, after all this time, is the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker still following federal prosecutions of rioters?

Because journalists were in the crosshairs that day, too, not just elected officials. According to our records, at least 18 journalists were assaulted ([link removed]) while covering events inside and out of the Capitol. Reporters were forced to flee a media staging area as rioters hurled and broke news equipment, pitching it into a pyre to burn (the breaking part was successful; the burning part less so). German broadcaster ZDF ([link removed]) and the Associated Press ([link removed]) confirmed their equipment was among the damaged.

Journalists survey damaged equipment outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 7, 2021, a day after rioters occupied the building and targeted the media for harassment, assaults and equipment damage. — REUTERS/ERIN SCOTT

And because arrests and sentencing of rioters who attacked journalists is ongoing. This month, two New York residents were sentenced on charges related to their destruction of media equipment. Prosecutors identified Long Island resident Gabriel Brown as part of the crowd that destroyed cameras, tripods and remote broadcasting equipment. On July 12, he was sentenced to 20 days incarceration followed by a year of supervised release and ordered to pay $500 in restitution for damage to the Capitol. About a week later, on July 20, Farmingdale resident Zvonimir Jurlina was sentenced to 14 days in prison and 24 months of probation, fined and ordered to pay $500 in restitution for damage to the Capitol.


** Media and the J6 protests
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On Jan. 6, 2021, protests broke out at the U.S. Capitol and in other cities across the nation around the certification of electoral votes for the 2020 presidential election. More than two years later, federal prosecutors continue to charge and prosecute rioters, including those who hurt journalists or damaged their equipment.

As of this summer, the Department of Justice has charged more than 1,000 people ([link removed]) for illegal activities at the Capitol on Jan. 6. But for the overwhelming majority of journalists attacked while reporting that day, no charges have been filed in their assaults, which range from being hit in the head with a fire extinguisher ([link removed]) to being dragged out ([link removed]) of the Capitol building. We’ll continue to follow those charged and watch for new prosecutions.

In the meantime, bookmark our blog about the charges and prosecutions ([link removed]) against those who hurt journalists, which we update with charges and sentencing as available.

Read: Charges — and punishments — for J6 rioters who hurt journalists, damaged news equipment ([link removed])


** More from the Tracker
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* On July 11, a photojournalist in Allentown, Pennsylvania, was field reporting when he was hit multiple times ([link removed]) with projectiles from a pellet gun fired by a passing assailant. WFMZ-TV News Director Brad Rinehart told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that one of the objects hit the cameraman in the corner of the eye, causing an irritation but no lingering injuries. Rinehart said he had no evidence that the attack was targeted. “On the other hand, [the photojournalist] had been shooting with his TV camera earlier in the day and may have been identified by the shooter.”
* Also, in Philadelphia, a WTXF-TV news crew was shot at with a pellet gun ([link removed]) from a moving vehicle while reporting outside of City Hall. While giving the night’s live report on May 17, reporter Shawnette Wilson was struck in the chest with multiple projectiles; she told the desk anchors she wasn’t injured.

These are two of the 13 assaults of journalists ([link removed]) so far this year.


** In the news
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* A Small-Town Paper Lands a Very Big Story ([link removed]) : In digging into the story of a small-town newspaper in Oklahoma that made national headlines when public officials were caught on a recording musing how to bury ([link removed]) the editor and reporter, The New Yorker cites the Press Freedom Tracker for number of assaults last year (it was 41 ([link removed]) ).
* Freedom of the Press Foundation works to improve news and democracy ([link removed]) : Those in the Kansas City area heard my voice on community radio KKFI earlier this month as I lauded my old stomping grounds and all things FPF. We used the Tracker’s incident database to zone in on Missouri and Kansas, exploring specific press freedom aggressions from the area. (Also available streaming).

Best,
Kirstin McCudden
Managing Editor, U.S. Press Freedom Tracker
[link removed]
[link removed]

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