Arresting the press
Two credentialed Bay Guardian reporters busted at protests

By Tim Redmond

In an admitted violation of San Francisco Police Department regulations, cops March 20 arrested two credentialed Bay Guardian reporters who were covering local protests.

City editor Steven T. Jones was arrested at about 8:15 a.m. at Market and Beale Streets, where he was interviewing a group of protesters who were blocking the intersection. Jones repeatedly identified himself to arresting officers and presented a press credential issued by the California Highway Patrol. The officers refused to allow him to leave the area and arrested him along with the protesters.

Culture editor Lynn Rapoport was arrested at about 4 p.m. at Seventh and Mission Streets. She had been walking toward the scene of a protest outside the federal court building when police surrounded the area and formed a cordon. Rapoport, who was carrying a Bay Guardian press card, repeatedly identified herself to officers and was told she could not leave the area.

Both Jones and Rapoport were cited and released.

Reached by phone while the afternoon arrests were taking place, Capt. Paul Chignell, who was in charge of tactical operations, told the Bay Guardian that police general orders require officers to allow credentialed reporters to leave a cordoned area and avoid arrest.

The department issued a special bulletin reminding officers of that order in 1997, following the arrest of Bay Guardian reporter Savannah Blackwell during a sweep of homeless people in Golden Gate Park (see "Leave 'Em Alone," 11/12/97).

Department bulletin 97-267 states that "members of the media have a right and an obligation to cover news events," including police actions in the streets. It notes that officers who believe a reporter is interfering with police action must first allow the reporter to move away from the encounter.

However, Inspector Gamble, badge number 157, told a Bay Guardian editor at the Seventh and Mission site that "nobody is allowed to leave" the cordon and that "if your reporter is in there, she will be arrested." He would not allow the editor to cross police lines to speak to a commander.

Terry Francke, general counsel for the California First Amendment Coalition, said police have no grounds for arrest journalists who are simply gathering news – even if they have to enter the area where demonstrators are illegally blocking the streets.

"If you want to know what the demonstrators are doing and why, you have to go in the streets where they are," he said. "It's obviously not your intention to block the streets, and you should be protected from arrest."

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