Gannett reporter covering Floyd protests detained in Delaware

A Gannett staff reporter-photographer was arrested Tuesday night in Delaware while covering a protest over the police killing of George Floyd near the state’s capital, Dover.

Andre Lamar, who has been covering protests over Floyd’s death for The Dover Post, was filming a Facebook Live video of state law enforcement arresting several protesters.

“The police have arrested protesters. We don’t know why they arrested them. They slammed them to the ground,” Lamar can be heard saying in the video. He can also be heard repeatedly asking the officers why the protesters are being detained.

The footage then shows Lamar being tackled by police despite Lamar’s repeated explanation that he was a member of the press. He was still taken into custody, with the officers confiscating his press badge and camera bag.

A USA TODAY Network journalist was arrested on Facebook Live while covering protests in Delaware. pic.twitter.com/mVx5bADlHk

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) June 10, 2020

Delaware State Police confirmed the arrest in a statement but said that “as a result of the investigation, the media reporter was released with no charges filed.” 

Delaware Gov. John Carney (D) called the arrest “not acceptable.”

“Reporters have a fundamental right to cover the demonstrations we’re seeing in Delaware and across our country,” Carney told USA Today. “They should not be arrested for doing their jobs. That’s not acceptable.”

The Dover Post is a part of USA Today’s network of papers around the country.

“These attacks on journalists absolutely are unacceptable and absolutely must be stopped,” USA TODAY president and publisher Maribel Wadsworth said. “When law enforcement are trying to keep journalists from reporting on the news as it’s happening, they’re going against our very Constitution.”

Protests have been going strong across the country for more than two weeks as people continue to express outrage and desire for systemic change after Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police on May 25 when an officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.