Political protests and civil unrest are expected across America this summer and fall. The combination of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, ongoing right-wing conspiracies about the validity of U.S. elections, and the prospect of domestic terrorist attacks have produced a climate that forebodes tense confrontations between protesters, counter-protesters, and the police.
Journalists are already in the mix covering these clashes, sometimes being mistreated, physically harmed, or even targeted in the process. In the days following the Roe v. Wade ruling, journalists already have been shoved and clubbed in Los Angeles while covering protests.
Are you familiar with your rights as a journalist to cover political protests and police responses to them? Do you have a plan on what to do if those rights are challenged — or ignored — by police or protesters? What steps are you taking to keep yourself and your equipment safe and secure, physically and legally?
Registration is open for a free National Press Club Journalism Institute virtual safety training at 11:30 a.m. ET on Friday, July 15, on how to cover political protests and civil unrest while limiting your legal exposure and physical safety risks.
Attendees will learn:
- Your rights to photograph and record video in public spaces and what to do if you are confronted and your equipment is seized
- How to recognize the signs of a police kettling action that could lead to being swept up and detained with other protesters
- What safety equipment to bring and how to plan your protest route ahead of time
- Ways to strategize your communication plan with editors, a legal team, and loved ones
- Recent legal developments and court cases for journalists detained and charged for their coverage of the 2020 racial justice protests and implications going forward