Press Freedom

Question and Answers

Q:
What kinds of threats are journalists facing?
A: Government authorities are seizing journalists’ phone records, detaining reporters at border crossings and demanding that journalists reveal confidential sources. The threats are growing more and more serious: In 2017, there were 44 physical attacks on journalists, and 34 reporters were arrested while trying to do their jobs.
Q:
Why is this a racial justice issue?
A: From graphic up-to-the-minute documentations of police brutality to coverage of Black Lives Matter protests and the #MeToo movement, independent journalism is essential to telling our stories and effecting change. We can protect our communities and our voices by standing up for the First Amendment.
Q:
Do I have the right to record interactions with the police?
A: You have a constitutionally protected right to film and record law enforcement. As we’ve seen with the protests at Standing Rock and all-too-common police shootings of unarmed Black people, cellphone cameras are critical tools for holding law enforcement accountable. Our right to record is essential to our ability to connect, communicate and organize for justice.