A police officer raises his weapon at a car speeding in his general direction as a more vocal and confrontational group of demonstrators stands on the sidewalk during further protests in reaction to the shooting of Michael Brown near Ferguson, Missouri August 18, 2014. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
The ACLU and a Turkish journalist are suing the St. Louis County police, claiming the reporter was thrown to the ground and arrested for photographing a police officer who was pointing a gun at protesters in Ferguson.
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Bilgin Şaşmaz, a journalist with the Turkish Anadolu Agency, was taking pictures of St. Ann Police Officer Ray Albers during protests Aug. 19. Albers was pointing his rifle at protesters and threatened at least one.
The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, says that an unidentified St. Louis County police officer threw Şaşmaz "violently" to the ground, and handcuffed and arrested him for "refusal to disperse."
According to the documents filed today by the ACLU, Şaşmaz identified himself by saying "Press, Press" a number of times. The lawsuit also says that white reporters and photographers who, like Şaşmaz, were documenting the incident were not arrested. Şaşmaz's camera, flash and two lenses were damaged and confiscated, says the suit, which claims violations of the First, Fourth and Fourteenth amendments.
