Chapel Hill: cops vs. anarchists and no one wins
by Joe Schwartz
Page 3 of 3
Josh Davis' experience
UNC journalism master's student Josh Davis was one of two journalists swept up in the raid. He had been covering Occupy movements as a freelancer, and despite also wearing media credentials and identifying himself, he was handcuffed for half an hour. His wrists have the imprints to prove it.
Davis had a decade of reporting experience prior to coming to UNC and has covered numerous protests. Typically, he says, a reporter talks to the police, finds out what boundaries are set up and where it's safe to set up and document the story. That's what happened at Occupy Raleigh, where Davis took photos from an agreed-upon distance.
"I expected communication and to know the boundaries; that's not what happened here," Davis said. "They came in like a tactical raid, like you'd expect for a drug raid or a weapon cache or something like that, no questions asked."
Davis had his photos, addresses and cell phone numbers taken.
"There should be mutual respect, and in this case there wasn't," Davis said. "Police shouldn't think it's OK to point guns at and detain working journalists who are there not as participants or occupiers or demonstrators but who are working press reporting on a news event. It shouldn't happen and we shouldn't be OK with it."
Davis filed a formal grievance with the Chapel Hill Police Department and expects it to be reviewed this week.
Josh Davis was able to take a few photos Sunday after police detained him for 30 minutes:
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