Covering Democracy: Protests, Police, and the Press
A report investigating a major threat to press freedom
In recent years, hundreds of journalists who have been covering peaceful protests, public demonstrations, and acts of civil unrest in the United States have been arrested, physically assaulted, or otherwise forcibly deterred from doing their work by law enforcement personnel. The frequency and intensity of these incidents are alarming, threatening press freedom and undermining fundamental rights at the heart of American democracy.
As the Knight Institute’s 2022-2023 Senior Visiting Fellow, Joel Simon set out to investigate this serious threat to press freedom. He presents his findings in this report documenting the deliberate and aggressive targeting of journalists by police during demonstrations, examining the historical context from the Civil Rights era to the present, and exploring the challenges of determining who is a journalist in an information environment transformed by technology.
The Knight Institute also produced a short documentary about these issues, entitled Flashpoint: Protests, Police, and the Press, to be released in 2024.
Featured
Deep Dive
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First Step in Police Reform: Protect the First Amendment
Police should ensure that journalists and members of the public acting as newsgatherers are able to work without interference
By Joel Simon & Katy Glenn Bass
Quick Take
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Ch 1: The Trump Inauguration
Covering Democracy:
Protests, Police, and the PressCh 1: The Trump Inauguration -
Ch 2: From Little Rock to Ferguson
Covering Democracy:
Protests, Police, and the PressCh 2: From Little Rock to Ferguson -
Ch 3: Covering the George Floyd Protests
Covering Democracy:
Protests, Police, and the PressCh 3: Covering the George Floyd Protests -
Ch 4: Legal Reform in California
Covering Democracy:
Protests, Police, and the PressCh 4: Legal Reform in California -
Ch 5: A Presumption of Journalism
Covering Democracy:
Protests, Police, and the PressCh 5: A Presumption of Journalism -
Press Statement
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Knight Institute Releases New Report, Covering Democracy: Protests, Police, and the Press
Written by Senior Visiting Fellow Joel Simon, the report documents the targeting of journalists by police and its chilling effect on press freedom