Fil-American Press Club of NY Statement on Police Attacks on Journalists

STATEMENT OF THE FILAM PRESS CLUB OF NEW YORK ON THE OUTRAGEOUS POLICE ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS

Members of the Filipino-American Press Club of New York were shocked and appalled over the killing of George Floyd.

We condemn the apparent murder of an unarmed black man by a white police officer. If found guilty, the officer must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The free press is also under attack. In the last few days, we have seen the illegal arrests of reporters and their crew who were simply doing their job as journalists covering the police killing of George Floyd and the nationwide protest that ensued after the incident.

What is even more outrageous, a number of these arrests and detentions still happened even after the journalists have identified themselves as members of the press.

Many of our colleagues from CNN to community press members have endured being a direct target of tear gassing, pepper sprays, rubber bullets or pellets, pushed, shoved, handcuffed while doing their job – to report what is happening on the ground and to report the truth.

The Fil-Am Press Club of New York stands by our fellow journalists and condemns the violence and other unnecessary actions by law enforcement towards members of the media.

An attack on journalists and journalism is an attack on all of us.
An attack on press freedom is an attack on democracy.

We demand a full investigation on all accounts of intimidations against these working journalists.

Please honor the US Constitution that guarantees the freedom of the press – the fourth estate of the American society and one of the foundations of our democracy.

We The People,
The Filipino-American Press Club of New York

(Statement and photo by the FAPCNY)