Police in DC Harass Local Reporters - Snatch Reporters Camera
Monday, August 9, 2004 at 01:50PM
TheSpook
Two reporters from The Common Denominator
were detained by U.S. Capitol Police officers late this afternoon at
two separate locations after taking pictures of roadblocks. Kathryn
Sinzinger, editor and publisher of The Common Denominator, was detained
about 4:20 p.m. for 15 minutes by Officer William Anderson. Sinzinger
said Officer Anderson would not return her driver's license and press
card, which she willingly gave to him to prove her identity. Anderson
said he needed to contact a supervisor when Sinzinger asked if she was
being detained or being placed under arrest. Reporter Michael Hoffman
was held by Officers for almost an hour starting at about 4:30 p.m.
Hoffman said the officers asked him for his Social Security number and
whether he had engaged in "suspicious activities in the past." The
officers took Hoffman's reporter's notebook and disposable camera,
saying that they would return the photos after developing them, and
interrogated him about his reporting assignment. Hoffman's notebook was
returned after about 30 minutes, but the officers did not return his
camera. [more]
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