This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Two reporters were arrested and teargas was fired at demonstrators in Ferguson, Missouri, on Wednesday, five nights after an unarmed black teenager was shot dead by an officer from the town’s predominantly white police force.

The Washington Post condemned the detention of its journalist, Wesley Lowery, as “illegal” and an “assault on the freedom of the press to cover the news”. The Huffington Post attacked the arrest of its reporter, Ryan J Reilly, as “militant aggression”. Reilly said that the “police resembled soldiers more than officers”.

The reporters were only freed, apparently, after a journalist from the Los Angeles Times called the Ferguson police chief.

Groups of protesters, demonstrating over the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown, were confronted by armed police in riot and military gear.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A protester kicks a smoke grenade deployed by police back in the direction of police. Photograph: Jeff Roberson/AP

Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) Here is gas fired moments ago: pic.twitter.com/y5CJlEHcJw

Pictures taken by photographers and TV camera crews showed police snipers overlooking protesters.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A police officer watches over demonstrators protesting the killing of teenager Michael Brown on 13 August in Ferguson, Missouri. Photograph: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A member of the St Louis County Police Department points his weapon in the direction of a group of protesters. Photograph: Jeff Roberson/AP

FOX2now (@FOX2now) The #STL SWAT team has weapons drawn in #Ferguson at a protest in broad daylight with media attending pic.twitter.com/z6zIVuCM6D

The Guardian’s Jon Swaine witnessed the arrest of two reporters.

Jon writes:



The two reporters were taken in cuffs from a McDonald’s in downtown Ferguson and placed in an unmarked white police van. “They’re reporters,” shouted one member of the public, who had also been in the restaurant. Another customer confirmed seeing the pair at work inside. Lowery and Reilly both tweeted about being asked to leave the restaurant moments before they were seen being arrested. Asked why he was being detained, the first reporter shouted: “For videotaping them.” When I approached a police line in an effort to confirm the reporters’ identities, I was threatened with arrest and told to retreat. The arrests came as a line of police in riot gear swept eastward along West Florissant street, the main drag in downtown Ferguson where demonstrations have flared for the past three nights. Residents were forced out of the street as they tried to return to their homes.

Jon posted this picture of the arrests.

Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) Photo of reporter I believe to be @ryanjreilly being cuffed and put in a police van minutes ago in #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/l6olRUPk13

On Twitter, Lowery and Reilly shared details of their arrests after they were released by police.



Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) Officers decided we weren't leaving McDonalds quickly enough, shouldn't have been taping them.

Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) Officers slammed me into a fountain soda machine because I was confused about which door they were asking me to walk out of

Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) Was waiting to be taken away, large black man SCREAMING for help in back of police truck

Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) They refused his several calls for paramedics

Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) "I'm dying. I'm dying. Please call help he screamed." They mocked him

Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) Got no explaination at any point why in custody other than "trespassing" - at a mcdonalds where we were customers

Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) I'm emotional, but need to note: Ryan and I are fine. Have seen people in Ferguson hurt by gas/rubber bullets. This wasn't that

After the pair were arrested, Matt Pearce of the Los Angeles Times called the Ferguson police chief, Thomas Jackson.

Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) I just called Ferguson police chief to ask about @WesleyLowery and @ryanjreilly, told him what I knew. His response: "Oh, God."

Pearce went on to point out that Jackson had been interviewed earlier in the day by both reporters. From Lowery’s subsequent account, it appears that Jackson intervened and ordered their release.

Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) "The chief thought he was doing you a favor" - police officer tells me about release. With no charges, no police report

Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) It's as if the arrest and the assaults never took place. Just opened the doors and let is out as if we'd let it go

Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) Really upset, and have conflicting emotions - but can't shake anger that (part) of story about my stupid detention and not about ferguson

Other reporters shared video and images live from Ferguson, and there were two live streams covering events as dusk fell.

Marty Baron, executive editor of the Washington Post, condemned the arrests in strong terms. The Post reported:

In a statement issued Wednesday night, Martin D Baron, executive editor of The Washington Post, said “there was absolutely no justification for his arrest” and said the organization was appalled by the conduct of the officers involved. Lowery was illegally instructed to stop taking video and followed police instructions, Baron said, after which he was slammed into a machine and handcuffed. “That behavior was wholly unwarranted and an assault on the freedom of the press to cover the news,” Baron said. “The physical risk to Wesley himself is obvious and outrageous.”

Earlier, the Guardian’s Jon Swaine posted pictures and video of heavily armed police pushing protesters back down the streets, and an image he believed to be of the two reporters being arrested.



Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) Photo of reporter I believe to be @ryanjreilly being cuffed and put in a police van minutes ago in #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/l6olRUPk13

Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) A few of the cops and their weapons pushing residents out of #Ferguson right now pic.twitter.com/INqFGIPOCF

Alderman Antonio French shared a video of prayer in front of police vehicles earlier in the day.

Here’s a Twitter list of useful sources in Ferguson.