Tear gas canister fired at Al Jazeera reporters. [source]

Police teargassing & disassembling the Al Jazeera reporters' equipment. [source]

Al Jazeera reporters running from tear gas. [source] Photo by Getty reporter Scott Olsen.

nytimes freelance photographer Whitney Curtis hit by rubber bullet [source]

The Ferguson police has been orchestrating a media blackout.

It's been confirmed that reporters have been arrested and have been told to leave and were blocked from entering the city. These are huge assaults on freedom of the press. Additionally, the FAA no-fly zone imposed over the city prevented news helicopters from reporting. And, as usual in many protests around the country, police smashed protesters' cameras and phones (please add confirmation here if you have it).

There are also sources reporting that there was technical interception of broadcasts and social media, but this needs more confirmation. If you have more info please add it here!

Details of media suppression incidents

At ~2:15 of Video available at http://new.livestream.com/accounts/9035483/events/3271930 police seem to order shutdown of cameras. This tweet appears to be referencing same.

The local Fox 2 also tweeted they were asked to leave.

Tear gas forces Al Jazeera reporter Ash-har Qarashi to flee in Ferguson [video link]

Police officer points gun at constitutional law student and Argus Radio reporter Mustafa Hussein, shouting "get the fuck out of here or you're getting shot with this": [video]

MSNBC reporter Chris Hayes was threatened by police while filming: "Media do not pass us, you're getting maced next time you pass us."

On Monday 8/18, after the activation of the National Guard, news crews reported limited mobility even during the day.

2014-08-18 Getty Images photographer arrested - Scott Olsen arrested just outside the designated media area

2014-08-18 Police attempting to shutdown a live CNN broadcast - CNN reporter Don Lemon confronted by police while on the air

2014-08-18 Tear gas fired directly at journalists holding up media badges.

2014-08-19 Ryan Devereaux and Lukas Hermsmeier were shot with beanbags and rubber bullets with their hands in the air shouting "press!". The two were also arrested.

2014-08-20 Police say "Media, it's time to go home!". A photojournalist reports a line of police "strobing" him with a picture that shows bright lights being shown in the direction of the camera, causing it to flare out and obscure the subjects. A National Lawyer's Guild legal observer was arrested. The media was separated from the remaining protesters. Media was directed to the command center at Target and protesters were directed to the Free Speech Area. Further reports of wireless signals being blocked. [although to editorialize for a second, with the massive influx of reporters and their 4g-hungry devices, it's certainly possible the infrastructure is being overloaded -jden.] Photojournalist Alex Wroblewski was injured during the police action.

 

Lawsuit

court agreement

 

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On 08/14 the ACLU of Missouri filed two lawsuits relating to the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson:

 

On 2014-08-15, Hussein, St. Louis County, Missouri Highway Patrol, and City of Ferguson signed an agreement stating that: "Parties acknowledge and agree that the media and members of the public have a right to record public events without abridgement unless it obstructs the activity or threatens the safety of others, or physically interferes with the ability of law enforcement officers to perform their duties." Here's the PDF of the agreement.

However, reporters were arrested on 8/18 as the media blackout continued.

Vox wrote "Intimidation of journalists is becoming routine in Ferguson" on Monday 2014-08-18.

Threats

Politico is reporting on continued verbal threats to the press from police officers.

Bilgin Şaşmaz was threatened by "officer go fuck yourself" at gunpoint for filming.

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