Police Arrest Getty Photographer in Ferguson for Taking Pictures of Protest
Another journalist has been arrested in Ferguson, Missouri. On Monday afternoon, police there arrested Scott Olson, a photographer for Getty Images. Huffington Post’s Ryan Reilly, who was one of two reporters arrested in that city last Wednesday, posted an photo of Olson in handcuffs on Twitter:
Getty photographer Scott Olson arrested at #Ferguson protest: http://t.co/deT6c7pDxm (photo by @ryanjreilly) pic.twitter.com/WChvMLBzNC
— HuffPost Politics (@HuffPostPol) August 18, 2014
In a video posted by journalist Amy K. Nelson to Instagram, Olson can be seen saying he was being arrested because “the media is required to be in a certain area”:
Getty confirmed Olson’s arrest in a caption for an image by photographer Joe Raedle that appeared on Google News. It reads: “Getty Images staff photographer Scott Olson is escorted to a paddy wagon after being arrested by police as he covers the demonstration following the shooting death of Michael Brown on August 18, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri.”
Olson is responsible for some of the most iconic images out of Ferguson over the past week, as you can see in this extensive gallery on Vox.com.
Update — Aug. 18, 8:50 p.m. ET: Getty Images VP of News Pancho Bernasconi released the following statement on Scott Olson’s arrest:
Getty Images staff photographer Scott Olson was arrested this afternoon in Ferguson, Missouri, while on assignment documenting the events there. We at Getty Images stand firmly behind our colleague Scott Olson and the right to report from Ferguson. Getty Images is working to secure his release as soon as possible.
We strongly object to his arrest and are committed to ensuring he is able to resume his important work of capturing some of the most iconic images of this news story.
Update — Aug. 18, 10:30 p.m. ET: Olson has been released by police following his arrest. Bernasconi tweeted the news and included a quote from the photographer:
Scott Olson just released. He said “I want to be able to do my job as a member of the media and not be arrested for just doing my job”
— Pancho Bernasconi (@DailyLuca) August 19, 2014
[Photo via Twitter]
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