Journalist Detained By Bridgeport PD While Covering Protest

BRIDGEPORT, CT — Hearst Connecticut reporter Tara O'Neill was detained for about 30 minutes by police while covering a protest in Bridgeport Thursday night at Fairfield Avenue.

She was later released without being charged, according to the Connecticut Post. O'Neill tweeted that she was handcuffed and taken to booking where she was patted down and her belongings taken for inventory. She was then told she would be released on a written promise to appear, but was later let go without charges.

O'Neill called Hearst Connecticut Vice President of News and Digital Content Matt DeRienzo when police moved to arrest her, according to the Hartford Courant. She was later told she could make one phone call and called him back. DeRienzo then called Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim to complain about the situation. Police then decided not to go forward with the criminal charges.

The arresting officer later apologized to her, she tweeted.

An arresting officer was advised that one of the detainees was a member of the press, according to an incident report..

"The reporter was wearing plain street clothes and no clearly visible identifying markers other than an ID name badge..." according to the report.

Newspaper reporters typically don't wear uniforms. O'Neill can also be heard on video identifying herself as a member of the press to police.

Several people were protesting the police-involved shooting of Jayson Negron, 15, who was shot and killed by police two years ago. Negron was driving a stolen vehicle May 9, 2017. A State Police investigation cleared the officer of any criminal wrongdoing, but Negron's family contests that decision.

A total of 11 people were arrested and charged after the protest, according to Fox 61. Police Chief AJ Perez said that bottles were thrown at officers during the protest.

Hearst Connecticut Vice President of News and Digital Content Matt DeRienzo released the following statement:

"The fact that a local journalist was arrested for doing her job and reporting on the actions of police and protesters is extremely troubling, and the public deserves a full explanation of how it happened and what steps will be taken to make sure that the freedom of the press and the public’s right to know is not infringed upon like this in the future,” Matt DeRienzo, vice president of news and digital content for Hearst Connecticut Media, said after O’Neill’s arrest. “Tara O’Neill is a dedicated reporter who is well-known to Bridgeport police and police leadership. There’s no chance this was a case of mistaken identity. They arrested a reporter while she was doing her job."

The Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists also panned the move to detain a reporter.

“The fact that Bridgeport police found it appropriate to arrest a reporter is disturbing. Tara O’Neill was reporting on Thursday’s protest to write a news story," said CT SPJ President Bruno Matarazzo. "She was not a participant, and identified herself as a reporter when an officer handcuffed her. The fact that someone can be arrested in Bridgeport for the lawful exercise of a First Amendment right is chilling.”

Read the full Post report here.