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Journalists Face Jail Time After Reporting on North Dakota Pipeline Protest (techcrunch.com)
Investigative reporter and co-founder of Democracy Now!, Amy Goodman, is now facing riot charges in the state of North Dakota after her report on a Native American-led pipeline protest there went viral on Facebook. From a TechCrunch report:Democracy Now! issued a statement about the new charges against Goodman late Saturday. Goodman's story, posted to Facebook on September 4th, has been viewed more than 14 million times on the social media platform, Democracy Now! said, and was picked up by mainstream media outlets and networks including CBS, NBC, NPR, CNN, MSNBC and The Huffington Post. Additionally, documentary filmmaker Deia Schlosberg, is facing felony and conspiracy charges that could carry a 45-year sentence for filming at the protest, IndieWire reports.
I feel like I'm not getting the full picture here
Other than piss of people with a shit ton of money and expose their illegal activities.
You know - I'm not even really against the pipeline. IMHO the protesters are over blowing the concerns and construction should have been going ahead.
THAT SAID - the way the authorities have been treating the protesters is absolutely mind boggling. They have a right to protest - and people have a right to film it. Trumping up "riot" charges because you don't like what they're saying is not just sour grapes - it's unconstitutional.
I'm not even sure about my position on the pipeline itself anymore, but everyone involved in the handling of the protests should be either voted out/recalled if elected, or fired if not elected.
"People who think they know everything are very annoying to those of us who do."-Mark Twain
She's charged for taking part in the riot - the evidence? She filmed herself trespassing on private property along with the rioters, filmed it, then turned around and claimed she's immune because she's a journalist.
The large-media coverage on this has been near nonexistent. NYTimes is carrying one AP wire story about it, but no editorial comment. CNN has literally *nothing*. This has been news for weeks (thought the charges were changed from trespassing (after it seemed hard to make that stick) to rioting). Rolling Stone had been reporting on it, but really? Why do I have to get important political news from a music mag (or from, say, a tech website)? Why do I hear so much more about Trumps hand size and sexual escapades than I do about obstruction of freedom of the press? I mean, yeah, I know why, really (a generation fed on intellectual pap); just whining, I guess. Now GTF off my lawn, 'k?
How is it Reporters covering real injustice are put in jail for inciting riots but race-baiters like al sharpton get off scott-free for inciting riots and inciting police murders?
Wtf?
~ People that think they are better than anyone else for any reason are the cause of all the strife in the world.
Have you looked at any of these videos? The few I've seen look a lot less like protests and more like sieges. Some of the "protestors" have literally broken into pipeline facilities using bolt cutters and started turning valves to disrupt the system. The specific case I believe where this reporters charges are based was from what I have seen several hundred people attacking a pipeline crew (from the clip I saw it looked like one woman tried to break through a line of workers, they tackled her, and protesters swarmed on the workers throwing punches/kicks and chasing them on horseback). If she was merely there as an observer then the charges should be tossed, if she was a part of the acts then she was about as much of a reporter as someone videotaping a dog fight to make a promo video for it. Protesting allows you to make your discontent known by marching and speaking out, not breaking/entering and assault.
Because race-baiters aren't a threat to the establishment and serve to keep the public distracted from real issues.
I have no first person knowledge, but having followed Amy Goodman's career for the last 15 years or so, it's inconceivable that she would be active in any attack or sabotage in anything short of a self defense situation if she were sucked into the fray. She's one of a dying breed of people who deserve to hold the title "journalist."
Well the real question is what are the details that may not be in the story?
Journalists tend to protect themselves so to expect full reporting on what the journalist may had done in excess of just covering it, may be left out.
I know this is circular reasoning but I would like to figure out the other side before I go all crazy.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
N. Dakota charges reporter with 'riot' for covering protest--but gets slapped down by judge
http://www.latimes.com/busines...
The Roman Rule: The one who says it cannot be done shall not interrupt the one who is doing it.
actually, no:
Theft of service is defined by state laws, which vary by state, but typically define the crime as knowingly securing the performance of a service by deception or threat, diverting another's services to the actor's own benefit, or holding personal property beyond the expiration of rental period without consent of the owner. Intent to avoid payment may be presumed under certain circumstances, such as failure to pay for an applicable rental charge within 10 days after receiving written notice demanding payment.
So unless she herself utilized the pipeline (that is, made it carry her own crude oil), she did not commit theft of service. Theft of service is most commonly charged when you bypass your electric meter, hook your cable back up, or alter the configuration of your cable box to see channels you don't pay for. It was also a popular charge connected with blue boxing a long distance phone call. In all cases because you took steps to use a service without intent to pay for it.
Perhaps YOU should do the looking up next time.
According to the local paper.
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