Journalists and Media Workers Must Be Protected When Covering Protests

The following is a statement from CWA President Claude Cummings Jr.

Members of our union and other journalists have been targeted by law enforcement with less-lethal rounds and tear gas and detained while covering the protests in Los Angeles.

These journalists are there doing important work to keep the public informed. This violent intimidation is unacceptable and threatens one of our most fundamental rights as Americans - the right to a free press.

Attempts to dodge accountability and evade responsibility put all of us in danger. I am grateful to the journalists and other media workers who put themselves in harms’ way to bring us the news. The leaders of law enforcement agencies must take steps to protect their safety and investigate any actions that interfere with their ability to do their jobs.

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About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.

cwa-union.org @cwaunion