By Bruce B. Brugmann
Coming to work this morning, I listened with outrage to the Thom Hartmann radio program on Air America (960AM) and his chilling interview with Amy Goodman, who detailed her arrest with her Democracy Now/Pacifica Radio/KPFA crew at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.
Here are the details of this important story the mainstream media is paying scant attention to. And what you can do about it. Watch for protests from the Society of Professional Journalists and other journalism and free press organizations.
Free Press Action Alert:
Yesterday, police in St. Paul arrested several journalists, including Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and an AP photographer as they were covering protests of the Republican National Convention.
Stand Up for Independent Journalism
Amy Goodman and others were released last night, but the story is not over.
We need you to cosign our public letter demanding that press intimidation cease immediately, and that all charges be dropped. It will be delivered immediately to St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, the RNC Host Committee and the local prosecuting attorneys. We need 10,000 signatures in the next 24 hours, so please take action now:
Sign the Letter: Drop All Charges Against Journalists
In addition to these arrests, police with firearms drawn raided a meeting of the video journalists’ group I-Witness and arrested independent media, bloggers and videomakers. We’re also receiving late-breaking reports of other arrests.
By signing this letter, you’re sending a powerful message: Officials must rein in aggressive and violent tactics by local law enforcement, stop the targeting of journalists and immediately drop all charges against them.
Reporting by independent journalists is vital to a functioning democracy. Americans must have access to diverse sources of information to hold their leaders accountable. Journalists must be free to do their jobs without intimidation.
Please Take Action by Signing this Letter
Don’t wait. We need a free press now more than ever. Tell your friends and take action now!
Thank you,
Josh Silver
Executive Director
Free Press
www.freepress.net
1. Watch the video of Goodman’s arrest.
2. See other journalists being arrested as reported by UpTake.
4. Learn more about the arrest of an ABC News producer during the Democratic Convention in Denver.
5. Watch the video of the police raid of I-Witness journalists (Caution: strong language).