United States: Buzzfeed News Journalist Brianna Sacks Detained In Santa Monica
Location: United States, Santa Monica, California
Date: June 4, 2020
Protests that began in Minnesota on May 26 following the murder of George Floyd have spread across the United States, unleashing another problematic issue: attacks on freedom of the press.
BuzzFeed News reporter Brianna Sacks was detained by Santa Monica police while documenting protests in Santa Monica, California, on May 31, 2020.
Sacks shared the incident on her Twitter page and said the police pulled her out of the crowd and zip-tied her hands despite her explaining that she was a journalist and showing them her badge several times.
Some of the people who have been detained pic.twitter.com/Ul4hBMnHaC
— Brianna Sacks (@bri_sacks) June 1, 2020
She was released and had the zip ties removed after 15 minutes but was ordered to leave the scene after her release.
CFWIJ urges authorities to stop using legal mechanisms as a way of censorship and intimidation and respect the constitutional rights of the people to obtain knowledge through free press.
The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.