Jamaican Police Arrest Reporters

[ECO]

Observer photographer Lionel Rookwood was arrested and charged with breaches of the Noise Abatement Act after taking photographs of a scuffle between police and the owner of a sound system at a dance on Red Hills Road early Friday morning.

Rookwood, who for a few moments had been selecting music for the sound system, started taking pictures of the scuffle and drew the attention of the cops.

According to Rookwood, he was hauled off to the Constant Spring Police Station after the cops demanded that he hand over his camera.

"I showed them my ID and told them I was doing my job, but they wanted to take away my camera so I dismantled it," said Rookwood. "That seemed to have irked them and they draped me and carried me to the station."

Rookwood said that when he got to the station, one of the arresting officers told him that he would not get bail unless he showed them the photos he took.

Rookwood is the third media worker to be arrested by police this year following the arrests of Observer reporter Julian Richardson and Gleaner photographer Ricardo Makyn in February.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/htm ... STED__.asp

[ECO]

Tinks are we absolutely sure the reporter is telling the truth? I am not saying she isn't but we know how reporters can be when it come to exaggerating to story for sensationalism. We all know they are capable of such.

Good point BB. While SOME police can act a little funny about being filmed doing their work, SOME reporters can play with the truth a little bit. I'm having a hard time with how the reporter took apart his camera so the police could not see what he filmed. If he did not destroy the memory card/film they should of been able to process the film or upload the images.