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FAIR
post
February 23, 2017

‘Any of the Journalists Present Could Have Been Arrested’

Reed Lindsay
Jahnny Lee being arrested by North Dakota police. (image: Reed Lindsay)

As residents were evicted from the Oceti Sakowin Camp where they had gathered to oppose the Dakota Access Pipeline, filmmaker and journalist Reed Lindsay posted this update on the continued assault on the First Amendment faced by independent journalists covering the #NODAPL struggle.

Filmmaker Jahnny Lee shortly before his arrest while recording an DAPL protest. (image: Reed Lindsay)

Filmmaker Jahnny Lee shortly before his arrest while recording an DAPL protest. (image: Reed Lindsay)

Filmmaker Jahnny Lee working with the Sundance Institute was arrested yesterday by North Dakota police while filming a stand-off between police and water protectors. He was charged with “obstruction of a government function.” I can only surmise that the charge of “criminal trespass,” leveled at Jihan Hafiz and many other journalists while covering events of the Standing Rock resistance against the DAPL pipeline, could not be used against Jahnny because he was on State Highway 1806. (How can one trespass on a highway?)

Jahnny Lee being arrested by North Dakota police. (image: Reed Lindsay)

Lee being arrested by North Dakota police. (image: Reed Lindsay)

I was with Jahnny shortly before his arrest and could easily have been arrested in the same circumstances. In fact, any of the dozen or so journalists present could have been arrested. The water protectors were unarmed and praying. I did not see any of them commit an act of violence nor do anything threatening. The only violent actions I witnessed were committed by police, who tackled and manhandled people indiscriminately.

Jahnny Lee in custody. (image: Reed Lindsay)

Lee in custody. (image: Reed Lindsay)

Journalists and filmmakers had been told by police that we would be allowed to film events on Highway 1806. These promises were not kept. Please see the still frames (Jahnny in the beige jacket). Jahnny was just released minutes ago. The police have confiscated his camera and phone “as evidence.” What is the state of our democracy when journalists are arrested for “obstructing government functions” and their cameras are seized “as evidence”?

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Filed under: Dakota Access, First Amendment, Pipelines

Avatar

Reed Lindsay

◄ Previous Post Are Liberals Helping Trump? Not Much, Apparently
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Comments

  1. AvatarDonald

    February 23, 2017 at 2:34 pm

    This country is gone. All my life I heard about those dangerous commies. Now the country has been conquered by corporate interests.

  2. Avatarsteve

    February 23, 2017 at 3:05 pm

    How do the people of North Dakota sleep at night? This isn’t a one-off event; the State has been unmercifully and violently attacking unarmed people who are exercising what we used to recognize as first amendment rights. As Obama did nothing to help these poor people, should we be expect anything more of Trump?

  3. AvatarDianne

    February 23, 2017 at 3:13 pm

    I too am horrified and want to know what the state of protest is in North Dakota against this, especially within the non-Native American communities (I know our great Native Americans are doing all they can), and how we non-North Dakotans can add to the protest to get this abuse and misuse of power to stop NOW.

  4. AvatarPyramid of Control

    February 23, 2017 at 3:38 pm

    Wow—ghastly. I imagine someone contacted the ACLU (877-745-2258) if they weren’t already present at DAPL… This is a blatant trespass of freedom of the press as the ACLU defines in accordance with the 1st amendment:

    “You have a right to videotape and audiotape police officers performing official duties in public … taking photographs and videos of things that are plainly visible from public spaces is your constitutional right. That includes federal buildings, transportation facilities, and police and other government officials carrying out their duties.”

    This is our constitutional right and unless he was provoking officers or interfering with duties there is no case! And from the information presented here it looks to be as such.

  5. Avatarpotshot

    February 23, 2017 at 9:14 pm

    This is outrageous and grievous. In answer to the closing query we have no democracy. This is a fully fledged police state. Acting on behalf of protecting corporate profits. And externalizing the costs thereof. Until the Earth in uninhabitable. Which, at the rate of the greedmongers won’t be very long. If it isn’t already too late. As to interfering with duties. The cops shouldn’t be the personal head breakers of the DAPL Pipeline. If they had any integrity when ordered to do so they’d refuse.

    • Avatarcigargod

      February 25, 2017 at 10:20 am

      They are indoctrinated just like military. Many have a military background. Most beleive themselves to be patriots. If they have any doubt, peer pressure and fear of losing their job kills their budding conscience.

    • AvatarBarb Holcomb

      February 26, 2017 at 12:38 am

      At the age of 67, I’ve finally become a full fledged believer of government conspiracy. Trump wants to kick out any group that he can successfully use as a boogeyman to scare people into following his ideas. As in many of his ideas, it will come to no good end. The law enforcement involvement will respond as did those in Nazi Germany and other totalitaran countries. Trump believes as do most of his cabinet and followers that they are in control of what the reality of any given situation is. In other words they’ve conned themselves into believing the crap they spew. Climate change, constitutional rights, common decency and humanity are concepts beyond them. No demonstrations, petitions or environmental disasters will truly influence them. They are beyond being capable of caring. Unless Congress develops a backbone and moves swiftly, we are in for much much more of this and a lot worse. Many countries have disintegrated in violent upheavals and ours could too. Pray, complain and raise as much hell as you can!

      • AvatarHelloOutThere

        February 27, 2017 at 12:16 pm

        Barb, I am with you in spirit and age. I’m afraid there is no turning back. The masses have slept way too long and when some of them “woke up”, they voted for Trump, never able to connect the dots. Mr. T. will exploit them–just like he exploits everyone under his bully thumb–and just like all the others who they have let exploit them in the past. He has anointed his cabinet with the masters who control us. We are all in for a bumpy ride. Enjoy are last days on Planet Earth best you can.

  6. AvatarWONDERing Woman

    February 25, 2017 at 11:56 am

    What is happening here is exactly what happened in a jack London novel, called IRONHEEL, and you can read it for free on Gutenberg,org. Even the part about the disappearing professors and middle class is happening all over America.

    There is the 1 %, the Pharisees of every rich nation in history; ; the military police; the thin line of police- soldiers who control , and then there’s the rabble at the bottom of the power pyramid.—that’s most of us.

    America has always been an intolerant nation….remember the Puritans would brand Quakers on the forehead because the Quakers were not Puritans. Ben Franklin was afraid the Germans would take over as too many were coming———- no nation is innocent——- nor is any religion———–we need a 3 Musketeer Party—-“all for one and one for all.” We haven;t tried that yet—-although weirdly, that’s what the Preamble is saying to me.

  7. AvatarNoneYaBusiness

    March 8, 2017 at 2:16 pm

    This press in part are as much to blame as is the US Citizen who ignores anything that doesn’t directly involve him or her. The press, give the government, (whom ever their choice is at the time) a pass in many, many instances. As the press has also given law enforcement a pass from the beginning of time, to date, only now, it’s trickled down to effect the press themselves!

    Maybe now, the press will cover the news completely, and without bias or their personal opinions! And hopefully, no one will get a pass.

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