Minnesota

TexasTowelie

(116,813 posts) Sun Apr 18, 2021, 03:35 PM Apr 2021

Ellison opposes motion to exempt journalists from arrest during protests

The office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is opposing a motion that seeks to exempt journalists from arrest or use of force during protests.

In June, the ACLU sued law enforcement and the City of Minneapolis for allegedly targeting journalists trying to cover protests after the death of George Floyd, seeking damages for injured journalists and a temporary restraining order to ban law enforcement from using force, including tear gas and rubber bullets, against media. They said that police actions violated the First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments.

Now, Ellison’s office is arguing that the court should deny similar motion from a group of journalists for a temporary restraining order against law enforcement in the wake of protests over the police killing of Daunte Wright. They say there is no precedent for First Amendment protection against a dispersal order.

“The media is not (and cannot be) exempt from dispersal orders,” according to a brief filed by Ellison’s office in its role as legal counsel for the Department of Public Safety. Law enforcement uses dispersal orders to force people to leave an area.

Read more: https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/ellison-opposes-motion-to-exempt-journalists-from-arrest-during-protests/

8 replies

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Highlight:

Ellison opposes motion to exempt journalists from arrest during protests (Original Post) TexasTowelie Apr 2021 OP

The journalists won, got the TRO. Ocelot II Apr 2021 #1

Thanks. TexasTowelie Apr 2021 #4

Wtf ellie Fullduplexxx Apr 2021 #2

I'm not sure where the law is on this, but I believe that journalists are the documentarians... TreasonousBastard Apr 2021 #3

see this: Gov exempted journalists from nightly curfews but not from orders from law enforcement.... riversedge Apr 2021 #5

I still think he is wrong. The default should be that journalists (not thrillseekers or TreasonousBastard Apr 2021 #6

I agree with you. riversedge Apr 2021 #7

I agree with Ellison. He's doing the best in a bad situation. Owl Apr 2021 #8

Ocelot II

(120,899 posts)

1. The journalists won, got the TRO.

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Sun Apr 18, 2021, 03:41 PM

Apr 2021

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20618077-tro-minnesota-journalists-at-protests-goyette

TexasTowelie

(116,813 posts)

4. Thanks.

Reply to Ocelot II (Reply #1)

Sun Apr 18, 2021, 04:00 PM

Apr 2021

I saw an article about the TRO being issued by the judge at the Minnesota Reformer. I misunderstood this article when I posted it and thought that Ellison was giving his opinion after the judge granted the TRO.

Fullduplexxx

(8,267 posts)

2. Wtf ellie

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Sun Apr 18, 2021, 03:42 PM

Apr 2021

Law enforcement uses dispersal orders to force people to leave an area.
No Keith they use it to cover up their assault

TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)

3. I'm not sure where the law is on this, but I believe that journalists are the documentarians...

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Sun Apr 18, 2021, 03:44 PM

Apr 2021

who record happenings. There is neither need nor benefit from clearing them out unless they begin taking sides or causing danger themselves. Not danger to themselves, though. Like firemen and medics, they accept danger as part of the job.

Allowing cops to arrest journalists simply for doing their jobs has nothing to do with public safety but is simply authoritarian rule.

riversedge

(73,134 posts)

5. see this: Gov exempted journalists from nightly curfews but not from orders from law enforcement....

Reply to TreasonousBastard (Reply #3)

Sun Apr 18, 2021, 04:24 PM

Apr 2021

https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/ellison-opposes-motion-to-exempt-journalists-from-arrest-during-protests/
.........In the motion for a temporary restraining order, six journalists and the Communications Workers of America union say they and other media were targeted by police during the summer George Floyd protests. MPD and State Patrol said that journalists put themselves in danger by remaining in the dispersal area as protestors got violent.

During a protest in Brooklyn Center on Monday, police and National Guard issued dispersal orders of the media, herding them to a new coverage location near the police station. But some didn’t comply.

The Governor’s Executive Order issued Monday, which created nightly curfews, exempted media from the curfew but didn’t exempt them from orders by law enforcement.

Ellison’s office argues “No one, including curfew-exempted members of the media, is entitled to remain in an area subject to a lawful dispersal order.”

TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)

6. I still think he is wrong. The default should be that journalists (not thrillseekers or

Reply to riversedge (Reply #5)

Sun Apr 18, 2021, 04:55 PM

Apr 2021

wannabees) are allowed. If access is denied, there should be specific reasons.

Journalists know how to cover wars, forest fires, revolutions, volcanoes and dam breaks without getting in the way, so it makes no sense that they can't cover a demonstration. Especially when it's apparent that the greatest danger to them may be the police themselves.

On edit-- anyway, they won, so far.

riversedge

(73,134 posts)

7. I agree with you.

Reply to TreasonousBastard (Reply #6)

Sun Apr 18, 2021, 05:07 PM

Apr 2021

Owl

(3,704 posts)

8. I agree with Ellison. He's doing the best in a bad situation.

Reply to TexasTowelie (Original post)

Mon Apr 19, 2021, 06:26 AM

Apr 2021

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