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Press freedom groups blast police raid of Kansas newspaper office: ‘Everyone involved should be ashamed’
Press freedom groups blast police raid of Kansas newspaper office: ‘Everyone involved should be ashamed’
The entire five-member police department of a small town in Kansas raided the office of a local newspaper and the home of its publisher, seizing computers, cell phones and other reporting materials and effectively shutting down publication. The weekly newspaper’s 98-year-old co-owner – apparently overwhelmed by the incident – collapsed and died the following day, according to the Marion County Record. Publisher Eric Meyer said the Marion Police Department’s raid on 11 August took “everything we have.” The incident is likely to cast a “chilling effect” on the newspaper’s abilities to publish and for members of the public to speak with its reporters, he told the Kansas Reflector. “Based on the reporting so far, the police raid of the Marion County Record on Friday appears to have violated federal law, the First Amendment, and basic human decency,” according to a statement from Seth Stern, director of advocacy for Freedom of the Press Foundation. “Everyone involved should be ashamed of themselves,” he added. The raid followed a series of stories about a restaurant owner who kicked reporters out of a meeting with Republican US Rep Jake LaTurner. A source had contacted the newspaper about the restaurant owner’s drunken driving record, and reporters sought to verify the information through government records. Mr Meyer ultimately decided against publishing anything. But the restaurant owner, KarI Newell, falsely claimed during a city council meeting that the newspaper had illegally obtained sensitive documents about her, which prompted the newspaper to publish a story that set the record straight. The newspaper was also actively investigating Gideon Cody, Marion’s chief of police, following allegations that he had retired from a previous job to avoid punishment over accusations of sexual misconduct. The Independent has requested comment from Mr Cody and Marion police. A warrant for the raid – performed by the entire police department and sheriff’s deputies – was signed by Marion County District Court Magistrate Judge Laura Viar. The two-page warrant stated that officers were allowed to seize phones, software, items that contained passwords, and all correspondence and documents “pertaining to Kari Newell.” Chief Cody also reportedly dislocated one reporter’s finger after snatching her phone from her hand during the raid. Officers also reportedly photographed personal financial statements and seized personal items – including a smart speaker used by the paper’s 98-year-old co-owner Joan Meyer to ask for assistance. “These are Hitler tactics and something has to be done,” Ms Meyer said. The following day, the Marion County Record reported that she was “stressed beyond her limits and overwhelmed by hours of shock and grief” following the raid of the newspaper’s office and her home. “Joan Meyer, otherwise in good health for her age, collapsed Saturday afternoon and died at her home,” the newspaper reported. “She had not been able to eat after police showed up at the door of her home Friday with a search warrant in hand. Neither was she able to sleep Friday night.” Emily Bradbury, executive director of the Kansas Press Association, said that the incident is unprecedented in the state. “An attack on a newspaper office through an illegal search is not just an infringement on the rights of journalists but an assault on the very foundation of democracy and the public’s right to know,” she said in a statement. “This cannot be allowed to stand.” The Radio Television Digital News Association also is demanding an explanation from police. Free expression advocacy organisation PEN America said such “egregious attempts to interfere with news reporting cannot go unchecked in a democracy,” and that the seizure of the newspaper’s equipment “almost certainly violates federal law & puts the paper’s ability to publish the news in jeopardy.” In The Record’s own reporting of the incident, Mr Meyer condemned what he called police “Gestapo tactics” used to crush dissent. “We will be seeking the maximum sanctions possible under law,” he added. The Record is expected to file a federal lawsuit. The Press Freedom Tracker has recorded at least 55 incidents targeting journalists’ First Amendment-protected activities within the last year. Earlier this year, officials in Oklahoma were caught on tape fantasizing about killing journalists. Two journalists in North Carolina were recently found guilty of trespassing for reporting on the evictions of homeless people during a law enforcement sweep in Asheville. The latest incident in Kansas appears to be “the latest example of American law enforcement officers treating the press in a manner previously associated with authoritarian regimes,” Mr Stern said. “The anti-press rhetoric that’s become so pervasive in this country has become more than just talk and is creating a dangerous environment for journalists trying to do their jobs,” he added. Read More Michigan officials apologise after wrongly arresting 12-year-old Black boy in ‘unfortunate’ incident A Black woman says she was wrongly arrested at eight months pregnant. She’s suing over ‘mistaken’ face ID tech Lawsuits, jail threats and ‘enemy of the people’: Donald Trump’s endless war on the media
2023-08-13 08:56
Netherlands media guide
Netherlands media guide
An overview of the media in the Netherlands, including links to broadcasters and newspapers.
2023-06-19 17:20
Where is China's defense minister? Beijing keeps silent
Where is China's defense minister? Beijing keeps silent
China has declined to comment on its defense minister's whereabouts as questions swirl over his status a month after he was last seen in public.
2023-09-28 18:25
Asian markets build on global rally as Fed pause hopes grow
Asian markets build on global rally as Fed pause hopes grow
Asia extended a global markets rally Wednesday on a growing belief the Federal Reserve is finished with its interest rate hiking cycle, while optimism was also boosted by a report that China is...
2023-10-11 11:15
Thailand's influential ex-PM Thaksin eyes July return from exile
Thailand's influential ex-PM Thaksin eyes July return from exile
By Panu Wongcha-um BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand's billionaire former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said on Tuesday he would return home in
2023-05-09 14:30
White House not planning to ask for extra Ukraine funding before September despite lawmaker concerns money could run out by summer
White House not planning to ask for extra Ukraine funding before September despite lawmaker concerns money could run out by summer
The White House says it is not currently planning to ask Congress for new Ukraine funding before the end of the fiscal year at the end of September, pitting administration officials against some lawmakers and congressional staffers who are concerned that the funds could run out by mid-summer.
2023-05-17 21:18
Ghana’s Debt Rises 20% in Four Months as Central Bank Loans Added
Ghana’s Debt Rises 20% in Four Months as Central Bank Loans Added
Ghana’s public debt increased by a fifth in just four months, driven partly by the inclusion of short-term
2023-07-22 21:21
At Jackson Hole, Post-Inflation Challenges Vex Central Bankers
At Jackson Hole, Post-Inflation Challenges Vex Central Bankers
The world’s top central bankers stressed the need to keep interest rates high until inflation is contained —
2023-08-28 04:49
Who is Marty Singer? Lizzo's lawyer has a lengthy list of famous clients including Bill Cosby and John Travolta
Who is Marty Singer? Lizzo's lawyer has a lengthy list of famous clients including Bill Cosby and John Travolta
Lizzo has been accused of providing a hostile work environment to persist that included sexual harassment and religious harassment
2023-08-04 04:28
Jake Paul silences critics with intense training routine ahead of December 15 showdown: 'I'm coming for the world championship'
Jake Paul silences critics with intense training routine ahead of December 15 showdown: 'I'm coming for the world championship'
Ahead of his non-PPV fight with Andre August in Miami, Jake Paul shut off his critics with a video, showing them his confidence
2023-11-26 18:46
How tall is Alex Borstein? Comedian is known for voicing Lois Griffin in 'Family Guy'
How tall is Alex Borstein? Comedian is known for voicing Lois Griffin in 'Family Guy'
Rachel Brosnahan and Alex Borstein are known for their leading roles in the Amazon series 'The Marvelous Mrs Maisel'
2023-11-13 16:20
Kristin Cavallari denies 'shooting her shot' with NFL star Travis Kelce after admitting she had 'TV crush' on him
Kristin Cavallari denies 'shooting her shot' with NFL star Travis Kelce after admitting she had 'TV crush' on him
Kristin Cavallari admitted Travis Kelce was her 'TV crush' when he starred in the reality show 'Catching Kelce'
2023-10-19 10:19