Huffington Post – by Jack Mirkinson
Journalists had a series of tense clashes with police officers as they moved in on the suspect in the Boston bombing case. Police repeatedly told reporters that they risked jeopardizing the search for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the 19-year-old who is being sought by authorities. As law enforcement surrounded a house in Cambridge, MA, the tensions mounted even more.
CNN and “Today” put their feeds on a delay as the siege continued. CNN’s Jake Tapper said the network did not want to show anything that was “overly violent” or would compromise security.
Local New York station WPIX got into far more trouble with police. James Ford, a reporter with the station, was filming officers when one of them told him to get back.
“Is it worth your life?” he asked.
“I’m tethered to this cable,” Ford said. “What’s more important, saving the cable or saving your life?” the officer asked. After some confusing minutes, viewers saw officers walking away, guns at their sides.
“I’ve been removed from crime scenes but never by officers with their guns drawn on me,” Ford said.
NBC’s Kerry Sanders also told “Today” that an officer had pointed a gun at him when he talked to a woman who was near the scene of the shootout in Watertown.
ABC producer Megan Chuchmach also had a run-in with police.
“I was walking with my camera trying to get a better sense of where the SWAT teams were all congregating when all of a sudden, three officers swarmed with their guns drawn, forced me to the ground, and told me that they were suspicious of my backpack and thought I might be the suspect,” she said.
Eventually, the Boston police department put out the following tweet:
#MediaAlert: WARNING: Do Not Compromise Officer Safety by Broadcasting Tactical Positions of Homes Being Searched.
Some hours later, Watertown was suddenly awash with police, and reporters were again caught in the middle:
HuffPost Media ✔ @HuffPostMedia
Kerry Sanders is being filmed talking on his cell phone and crouched down. Cops told him to get on the ground. pic.twitter.com/nyZ858Ve7T
Adam Gabbatt ✔ @AdamGabbattLots of activity just now in Watertown on Arsenal St, police yelling at press to stay back. Some officers have weapons drawn
from Watertown, MA, United States
James Poniewozik ✔ @poniewozik
NBC reporter: “[police] just told us if I knew what was going on, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.”
Zeke Miller ✔ @ZekeJMillerCNN correspondent says she was told to move by cop saying “you’re in the line of fire, you’re in the line of fire.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/19/boston-police-media-guns-dzhokhar-tsarnaev_n_3115798.html
Sent to us by a reader.
The press being physically threatened by police. The hallmark of any great and free nation
Sure!
And all will go to baseball games this weekend hear the pablum about our freedom and to honor the military for protecting our freedom. More “‘God’ Bless America” during the seventh-inning stretch.
More patriotic religious ceremonies.
More police state actions.
And…the people remain asleep.
America if filled with pathetic losers who believe the crap their [well-deserved] government dishes out.
Sheeeeeessshhh…
What freedom?
“Local New York station WPIX got into far more trouble with police. James Ford, a reporter with the station, was filming officers when one of them told him to get back.
“Is it worth your life?” he asked.”
These are the best lines that police can think of. They are dumb jocks that think they have the brains to play hero.
“ABC producer Megan Chuchmach also had a run-in with police.
“I was walking with my camera trying to get a better sense of where the SWAT teams were all congregating when all of a sudden, three officers swarmed with their guns drawn, forced me to the ground, and told me that they were suspicious of my backpack and thought I might be the suspect,” she said.”
ARE YOU F**KING KIDDING ME??? This is sheer intimidation and the press should sue the shit out of these guys. (Not like it would matter).
I mean really. You are looking for two guys and you knock down a female reporter and say that she might be the suspect? Are these cops so dumb that they can’t identify the difference between genders anymore? It’s not rocket science. It’s like me with the Round Rock police describing the black man as the attacker and a white guy like me as the victim to dispatch and then when they come, they tase ME! It’s not rocket science, but apparently, these thugs don’t like it when they feel that they are not in control of every aspect of your life and situation from start to finish. HANG ‘EM ALL!! I’m so sick of their shit.
“Eventually, the Boston police department put out the following tweet:
Boston Police Dept. ✔ @Boston_Police
#MediaAlert: WARNING: Do Not Compromise Officer Safety by Broadcasting Tactical Positions of Homes Being Searched.
5:52 AM – 19 Apr 2013”
JUST WHO IN THE HELL DO THEY THINK THEY ARE!!!??? THEY ARE NOT ABOVE THE LAW!!!! Where’s the damn Boston Militia? Why aren’t they protecting these reporters? Why aren’t they protecting WE THE PEOPLE, especially the ones in their homes in that neighborhood. WHERE THE HELL ARE THE OATHKEEPERS AND THE MILITIAS???
This is all totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL!!
In the near future only “Press” who are “embedded” with the police teams will be allowed. All others will definitely be “in the line of fire”.
Another little trick that they learned from Israel, and perfected in Afghanistan and Iraq.
CNN/”Today” put their feeds on a delay ??
They’re in on it too, just in case some people are recording and might catch an overt act of murder by the police.
That’s all it is.