Intercept publisher calls for Ferguson investigation over arrest of reporter

The publisher of The Intercept earlier this week called on the Missouri attorney general to launch an investigation into the arrest of reporter, Ryan Devereaux, during last week's protests in Ferguson, Mo.

First Look Media detailed how Devereaux, while with a reporter from the German newspaper Bild, was interviewing protesters when police started firing tear gas. After leaving the area as instructed, he was hit by rubber bullets fired by police. He was taken to jail, detained overnight and charged with "refusing to disperse." The publisher has not been able to obtain information about the status of the charges against him and police have not returned their calls, the Aug. 25 letter reports.

A handful of other reporters were arrested on the same night, as the letter reports, and several journalists and photographers reported being threatened by police or having guns drawn on them soon after that.

A similar letter had been submitted by a media coalition led by the Reporters Committee on August 15, a few days before the later arrests. Forty-eight national and regional news organizations called on state, county and local police to be more open with information regarding the controversy and arrests, and to make sure officers were properly trained so that they did not interfere with the First Amendment rights of the press and public.