Post-Gazette Reporter Barred From Protest Coverage Sues Newspaper

PITTSBURGH, PA — A Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter barred from covering the city's Black Lives Matter demonstrations because of a tweet has filed a federal lawsuit against the paper. The lawsuit accuses the newspaper of discrimination and retaliation against Alexis Johnson, who is black.

The lawsuit contends Johnson was pulled off protest coverage after being told a tweet on her personal Twitter page showed bias. The tweet showed garbage and destruction left in the aftermath of a past Kenny Cheney concert at Heinz Field.

“The Johnson Tweet was intended to — and did — mock, ridicule and protest discrimination against African Americans by society in general and by whites who equate property damage with human life,” the lawsuit statesd.

The lawsuit asks that the newspaper be forced to allow Johnson to cover the protest and other racial issues and that her supervisors to be prevented from retaliating against her. Johnson also is seeking unspecified monetary damages.

Another journalist at the paper, Michael Santiago, contends he also was pulled from protest coverage. Santiago announced on Twitter that he is accepting a buyout and is leaving the newspaper.

The Post-Gazette has gained national attention for pulling Johnson and Santiago from the protests that began with the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while being taken into custody by four police officers in Minneapolis. The officers are facing murder and other charges.

NewsGuild-CWA, an organization representing hundreds of thousands of media members and telecommunications workers internationally, has called for the resignations of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette executive editor Keith Burris and managing editor Karen Kane.

The Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh also wants the editors to step down.