About half a dozen journalists were arrested during and soon after Tuesday`s massive police operation against the protest tent camp in Zuccotti Park, in the Financial District.
The arrests were among more than 200 overall as police rounded up demonstrators refusing to leave the park and another location that was briefly taken over by the crowd.
The Society of Professional Journalists issued a statement calling for dropping charges against journalists arrested in New York and in similar protests in other US states.
"SPJ calls for all charges against these journalists to be dropped and for greater care by police to avoid arresting or otherwise obstructing journalists who are simply and clearly doing their jobs," the statement said.
"We know that as protests escalate it may be difficult for police to distinguish bystanders from participants, but it is clear now that many journalists have been erroneously arrested without cause," SPJ President John Ensslin said.
Another CPJ official, Carlos Lauria, said he was "alarmed" and criticized restrictions on media access to the immediate site of the New York eviction.
"It is particularly disturbing that government officials sought to block any coverage of the event at all," he said.
Reporters and camera crews were allowed to observe the eviction of the camp from across the street and could talk to departing protesters. But they were not allowed into the interior of the square where police were removing tents and expelling the demonstrators.
One freelance camerawoman, who asked not to be identified, said she was arrested for "obstructing pedestrian traffic" near Zuccotti Park. Although she was soon released, she must go before a judge in January.
"During my detention I was not allowed to make a call, so my boss didn`t know anything about me for three hours," she said.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said five journalists were arrested. He denied that any rights were violated, saying the reporters had been trespassing, along with demonstrators, on private property in an incident after the Zuccotti Park eviction, and had then refused to leave.
"They were arrested with the demonstrators. I think there was confusion on their part as to just what they`re allowed to do. They`re private citizens -- they were technically trespassing. That was worked out and their arrests were voided," Kelly said in an interview with NY1 television.
Regarding restrictions on movement of reporters at the eviction itself, Kelly said that was normal.
"We never allow reporters to go into the scene of an operation. It`s like having them go into a crime scene," he said. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
