Daily Caller reporters Shelby Talcott and Richie McGinniss reported that they were detained and hit repeatedly by police while covering demonstrations in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.
“@RichieMcGinniss and I just got detained/almost arrested,” Talcott said on Twitter. “Officers kicked me and hit me with a billy club and repeatedly hit Richie with a club (we were not resisting). Luckily, an officer came while we were waiting in the police van and recognized that we were press.” (RELATED: Protesters Met By National Guard In Wauwatosa, Wisconsin)
THREAD: @RichieMcGinniss and I just got detained/almost arrested. Officers kicked me and hit me with a billy club and repeatedly hit Richie with a club (we were not resisting). Luckily, an officer came while we were waiting in the police van and recognized that we were press…
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) October 9, 2020
Talcott said that she and McGinniss were released after officers found out that they were members of the press, but independent reporter Brandon Gutenschwager and Campus Reform senior campus correspondent Blair Nelson were not released.
WATCH:
Video of @ShelbyTalcott and my detainment.
As I was recording arrests, one officer told me to (quickly) clear the area.
Upon arriving to the car, I was forcibly detained (with press cred in hand) and as you can hear in the video, I tried my best to comply with police orders. pic.twitter.com/2I6GNH2CNX
— Richie????McG???? (@RichieMcGinniss) October 9, 2020
“Richie had his press credentials visible before he was taken down,” Talcott said. “I was sitting in the car (outside of the area where protesters were being arrested) waiting for Richie (who was filming).” Gutenschwager was also in the car with Talcott.
Nelson and McGinniss were told to leave the area and complied with police, Talcott reported. “Several officers then chased the boys down right as they reached our car & forced the rest of us out of the vehicle before making arrests,” she said on Twitter. “Richie captured audio of the incident.”
Photos showed Talcott and McGinniss with several injuries resulting from the incident.
We’ll have some nice cuts and bruises in the coming days… pic.twitter.com/wSsnumUeCA
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) October 9, 2020
Talcott and Daily Caller reporter Jorge Ventura were recently arrested during a riot in Louisville, Kentucky. Talcott and Ventura were arrested despite identifying themselves as press. They were not released even after Daily Caller Editor-In-Chief Geoffrey Ingersoll notified police that they were members of the media, and charges are still pending against both reporters. (RELATED: Police Used A Legally Dubious Tactic In Louisville, And I Found Myself Caught In The Middle Of It. Here’s What Happened …)
Protests and riots erupted in Wauwatosa after it was announced that the police officer who fatally shot 17-year-old Alvin Cole would not face charges. Officers at the scene said that Cole was fleeing police with a stolen handgun and fired a shot at them.