Perils of the Press: Journalists Videotaped As They Are Attacked By Both Protesters and Police In Baltimore

Russia Today is showing a less than positive image of the United States as a video shows its reporter trying to report on the protests in Baltimore last week only to be mugged on camera. Fortunately, police were in the area and apprehended the suspect. In the meantime, another disturbing video shows City Paper Photo Editor J.M. Giordano was tackled and beaten by Baltimore City police outside of Western District headquarters last night while covering the protests. The attack on a journalist by police was accompanied by the arrest and charging of another reporter for disorderly conduct.

The protests have followed the death of an African American man, Freddie Gray, in police custody. Six officers have been injured in the later protests and 34 people arrested.

One group looted a convenience stores and broke store windows. Another group smashed the front window of a department stores and threw flaming debris at police.

The group involved in the attack on the journalist was shown yelling profanities before the mugging:

The majority of protesters however remained peaceful.

City Paper Photo Editor J.M. Giordano was beaten outside of Western District headquarters. He was standing next to the protester in the video and facing the police line, at about 12:30 when someone threw a rock which hit a police officer’s shield. That appears to have triggered the violent response. The video was shot by City Paper Managing Editor Baynard Woods who is heard yelling, “He’s a photographer! He’s press!” Giordano was not arrested though the man next to him was, even though Giordano says that he did not throw anything. However, he says that Reuters photographer Sait Serkan Gurbuz, was arrested nearby and taken away in the police van. Gurbuz was later released and cited for disorderly conduct.

Police apologizes later for the confusion with the reporters.