Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
A journalist bleeding after police started firing tear gas and rubber bullets in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo: Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images
The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker says it's currently investigating over 100 violations of press freedoms in the past three days, which is astonishing given the fact that it normally documents 100-150 press freedom violations in the U.S. per year.
Driving the news: Dozens of journalists across the country tweeted videos Saturday night of themselves and their crews getting arrested, being shot at by police with rubber bullets, targeted with tear gas by authorities or assaulted by protesters.
By the numbers: (Based off a list compiled by Nick Waters.)
- Shot at: (mostly non-lethal rounds/rubber bullets): 45
- Tear gas: 12
- Pepper Sprayed: 13
- Attacked/hit: 21
- Arrested: 15
- Detained: 5
- Threatened: 11
Be smart: Many of these incidents, because they target the press, were captured live on camera. The footage could help to verify unnecessary police action against journalists.
Why it matters: The incidents show how easy it can be for journalists to become entangled in the stories they cover, especially during a time of civil unrest.
- They also show how a hostile environment for the press, made worse by the president's incessant bemoaning of the mainstream media, can make it difficult to cover important moments, like protests.
What's next: The Committee to Protect Journalists says it's investigating over 100 reports of violence against journalists from past several days.
- On Monday, 18 journalism organizations, including The National Press Club, wrote an open letter calling on police nationwide to halt use of violence and arrests against journalists covering protests.
Go deeper: Journalists get caught in the crosshairs as protests unfold