HuffPost Reporter Chokes Up Remembering ‘Dehumanizing’ Arrest in Ferguson

Huffington Post reporter Ryan Reilly on Thursday described his arrest the previous night in Ferguson, MO, as “dehumanizing,” noting that he felt “privileged” to be a white male during the process.

In an interview with HuffPost Live, Reilly said he was interrupted by police while he was working from a McDonald’s restaurant. He said they told him to leave the restaurant and when he “talked back” to them, they grabbed him to take him outside.

Reilly said one police officer “purposely shoved” his head into the restaurants glass door as he tried calling back to the McDonald’s employees to let them know he was being arrested. The officer “sarcastically” apologized, according to Reilly.

“In a certain way it’s like I’m in a privileged position,” Reilly said, “as both a reporter and, frankly, as a white male. This is something you don’t really expect to happen to you.”

He said he was taken to a detention center and locked up and let go shortly after.

“It’s really just such a dehumanizing process,” Reilly said, getting choked up with emotion, “to be eliminated from all forms of communication.”

Washington Post reporter Wesley Lowery was also arrested.

For several days, Ferguson has been in a state of unrest after 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot dead by a city police officer, despite Brown being unarmed.

Watch via HuffPost Live:

[Image via HuffPost Live/screen grab]

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