Press freedom groups are raising alarm after New York police arrested and charged videographer Samuel Seligson for allegedly filming pro-Palestinian activists hurling red paint at the homes of top officials of the Brooklyn Museum, part of a campaign by activists demanding the institution divest from Israel. Seligson faces eight counts of criminal mischief with a hate crime enhancement, which is a felony. Police also raided his home twice. Seligson is a well-known local journalist whose work has appeared on major news outlets, and his attorney Leena Widdi says the charges are an attack on constitutionally protected press freedoms. “It is an extremely concerning assault on the First Amendment. The reason why the freedom of press is so strongly protected is because there’s some underlying belief that in order for the public to meaningfully participate in a democracy, they must be actually informed,” Widdi tells Democracy Now!
  • @ArbitraryValueEnglish
    7•1 month ago

    The charges are not for filming; they’re for accompanying the protesters as they engaged in vandalism. According to the AP:

    According to a criminal complaint written by a police detective, Seligson, 31, traveled with the group of vandals as they defaced the facades of two apartments belonging to the museum’s director and president.

    Seligson’s attorney, Leena Widdi, said her client was acting in his capacity as a credentialed member of the media, describing the hate crime charges as an “appalling” overreach by police and prosecutors.

    While the complaint described Seligson as a participant in the crime, a law enforcement official said he was not directly involved in the spray-painting or property damage.

    Videotaping a crime doesn’t automatically absolve someone of guilt. Whether or not he’s guilty in this particular case depends on facts not present in the article. My guess is that the cops have evidence that he planned the vandalism (and his role in documenting it) together with the people who actually carried it out.

    • @[email protected]English
      16•1 month ago

      The charges are not for filming; they’re for accompanying the protesters as they engaged in vandalism.

      The charges are for made up bullshit. The arrest is for filming.

    • @[email protected]English
      11•1 month ago

      While you can make up whatever speculation you want to, the only theing the ACAB crew has said is the person did not participate in the vandalism.

      Seems like if they thought the person did what you speculate they would have said that instead of accusing them of being a participant.

      • @ArbitraryValueEnglish
        -4•1 month ago

        they would have said that instead of accusing them of being a participant.

        but

        The official spoke with The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.

        Officially the cops haven’t said anything beyond what’s in the criminal complaint. The statement that he didn’t personally vandalize anything isn’t the full set of information available to the police.