Oakland police seize, then return, videographer's protest footage

Police stripped an Oakland Tribune videographer of her footage of an Oct. 31 immigration rights protest — which included an officer’s profanity-laced reprimand — before returning the recording Monday, the paper reported.  

Tribune staffer Jane Tyska was filming the protest and was detained for about thirty minutes after coming into contact with the Oakland Unified School District police chief’s car; Tyska told the Tribune the officer grazed her with his car. 

The copy of the footage on the Tribune’s Web site shows Tyska’s detention by Chief Art Michel, during which he accuses her of hitting his car. In the film, she denies that she hit his car and identifies herself as press. Michel responds by calling Tyska a “pain in the ass” and a “lying son of a bitch” before demanding the tape from her.  

Although Tyska was released after her detention, Michel’s police report stated that Tyska hit his car while filming and that he detained her for blocking the roadway, inciting a riot and vandalism, the Tribune reported. It is unclear if the Alameda County District Attorney’s office will bring charges against her.