Free the Press

[Ed note: This letter was sent to Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw on Thursday in response to the arrests of three local journalists and harassment of others covering this week’s anti-police violence protests in the city.]

Dear Commissioner Outlaw:

We represent the newsroom leadership at the major broadcast, print, and digital news outlets in Philadelphia and the region. We are writing because we are collectively troubled by a series of recent incidents in which our journalists have been either unlawfully arrested and detained, physically impeded while reporting or, in some cases, restricted from covering protests that have erupted in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd at the hands of police.

Despite identifying themselves as journalists and showing their press credentials, journalists have been harassed by police, arrested and, in some cases, not read their rights. One reporter was put in a van and his mask was removed. He is now under quarantine. Another reporter, a former Pulitzer Prize-winner, prominently displayed her press credentials yet was handcuffed, detained and driven off to a police station. While we fully understand the difficulties that these protests pose for your officers, we cannot accept the unlawful treatment of our journalists.

As set forth in the First Amendment, a free and independent press is essential for a functional democracy. Which is why journalists have been deemed essential by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well as the neighboring states of New Jersey and Delaware.

We all seek to fulfill our duty to inform the people of Philadelphia without fear or favor. So while we are encouraged that you reportedly reminded officers that “the press are not only entitled to access, they have a right to it,” we are appealing directly to you as the commissioner to ensure that our constitutional rights as journalists are truly protected each and every day.

Stan Wischnowski, Executive Editor/Senior Vice President
The Philadelphia Inquirer

Sandra Clark, Vice President for News and Civic Dialogue
WHYY

Anzio M. Williams, Vice President of News
NBC10, Telemundo62.com

Alex Silverman, Brand Manager/Program Director
KYW Newsradio, Entercom/Philadelphia

Sara Lomax Reese, President & CEO
WURD Radio

John Wilson, Vice President / News Director
CBS3 & THE CW PHILLY

Irv Randolph, Managing Editor
The Philadelphia Tribune

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy, Executive Editor/Co-Executive Director
The Philadelphia Citizen

Jess Bryant, Editor-in-chief
Philadelphia Gay News

Jean Friedman-Rudovsky, Co-Executive Director
ResolvePhilly

Jillian Bauer-Reese, Editor
Kensington Voice

Dale Mezzacappa, Contributing Editor
The Notebook

Sabrina Vourvoulias, Editor
Generocity

Julie Hancher, Co-founder/Editor
Green Philly

Julie Zeglen, Managing Editor
Technical.ly

Martin Pratt, Publisher
Philly Black News

The Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists

Melissa Mitman, Editor
Metro Philadelphia Newspaper

Mike Rispoli, Director
Free Press New Voices