Journalist arrested while covering peace demonstration
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Journalist arrested while covering peace demonstration
- The documentary photographer was arrested while covering a 700 person crowd gathered to honor Cesar Chavez and protest for peace.
April 3, 2003 — Jeff Imig, a documentary videographer for Pan Left Productions, was arrested at Tucson’s Cesar Chavez Peace March Saturday. He was charged with failure to comply with a police officer’s order and with obstructing a public thoroughfare. Imig is unaware of any other arrests being made during the 700-person march.
Imig insists he was simply doing what was necessary to cover the protest, and that this was not the first time he has dealt with arrest threats while covering Tucson events.
“The peace demonstrations are where we see a lot of it,” Imig said.
Pan Left released a statement Sunday expressing concern that law enforcement is targeting reporters, photographers and videographers, therefore implementing an unspoken policy that violates constitutionally protected freedoms of the press.
The incident follows a similar arrest last month during a protest. Gary Gaynor, a photographer for the Tucson Citizen, was arrested March 5 during a protest on the University of Arizona campus. Approximately 30 people entered the administration building to protest the possible military action in Iraq and a proposed tuition increase. Gaynor said police were pushing people out the door of a room, and was arrested after he went over to get some closer shots.
— KD
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