Michael Brown Death: Journalists Arrested Amid Turmoil in Missouri

A Washington Post reporter was one of two journalists arrested and thrown in a booking cell while covering the unrest in a St. Louis suburb roiled by protests over an unarmed teen's death at the hands of police, an arrest the newspaper's executive editor called illegal and unjustified.

Wesley Lowry said he was slammed into a soda machine and arrested after filming officers who ordered everyone to leave a McDonald's restaurant in Ferguson as demonstrations against the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown happened nearby. Also arrested was Huffington Post reporter Ryan Reilly.

'That behavior was wholly unwarranted and an assault on the freedom of the press to cover the news,' Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron said in a statement. 'After being placed in a holding cell, he was released with no charges and no explanation. He was denied information about the names and badge numbers of those who arrested him.'

Both were later released without charges. Later Wednesday,there were reports that police Wednesday night ordered protesters to disperse, threatened those who refused with arrest, deployed tear gas and were chasing people out of the area.

Reilly of the Huffington Post told MSNBC host Chris Hayes he had his head slammed into a window, and that police refused to identify themselves or provide badge numbers.

'It was just a terrible experience,' Reilly said on MSNBC. 'The mentality of the officers was extremely disturbing. You couldn't reason with them.'

Tensions in the area remained high for the fourth consecutive day in the aftermath of the death of Michael Brown, the unarmed 18-year-old fatally shot by a Ferguson police officer Saturday afternoon. Public schools Wednesday closed for the rest of the week amid the unrest.

St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said earlier Wednesday his officers had shown 'tremendous amount of restraint' responding to protests over Brown's death, and said that in some cases officers and police vehicles have been pelted by rocks.

Police on Monday and Tuesday responded with tear gas and in some cases fired 'bean-bag rounds' to disperse groups. After mostly peaceful protests Tuesday, a 19-year-old man was shot and wounded by police near the demonstrations after allegedly pointing a handgun at an officer. Belmar said that shooting has not been tied to the protests, but he said officers have been shot at several times since the civil unrest began.

'I have been in fear ever since Saturday afternoon for something like what happened last night,' said Belmar, referring to the wounding of a man about a mile away from the protests. 'I thought it was remarkable it hadn't happened sooner, with the amount of gunfire in the area.'

Belmar said he had hoped to scale back the police presence on West Florissant Avenue, but Tuesday's shooting meant officers would remain out in force Wednesday.

'I just can't take the chance on not putting the same assets up there to protect the community,' he said. 'We are prepared.'

Brown was killed after police said he and another person got into a 'physical confrontation' with a Ferguson police officer at around noon Saturday, and that at one point the officer was shoved back into his patrol vehicle, followed by a struggle for the weapon and one shot being fired inside the car. The officer then exited the vehicle and shot Brown several times, police said.

But the friend who said he was with Brown that day, Dorian Johnson, told NBC affiliate KDSK that the officer grabbed Brown around the neck, that there was no struggle for the weapon, and that the officer shot Brown as the 18-year-old ran away with his hands in the air to surrender. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert P. McCulloch, who is investigating the shooting, said his office was interviewing Johnson Wednesday afternoon.

The man shot Tuesday night was identified as Esrail Eli Britton of St. Louis County. Belmar said the unnamed officer chased Britton while looking for another group of reportedly armed men, and shot Britton several times after Britton allegedly spun and pointed a handgun at him. Britton survived and is in critical condition, and will be charged with assault on a police officer in the 2nd degree and armed criminal action. A handgun was recovered at the scene, Belmar said.

First published August 13 2014, 5:38 PM

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