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June 27, 2010
The police are beating journalists
Real journalists. With ID.
Flea readers from hither and yon may not have heard of Steve Paikin. He is the real deal. If he says it happened, it happened.
"Steve Paikin, a prominent Toronto journalist said that he was escorted away by two police officers who saw his government-issued summit media credentials. He was advised that if he stayed he would be arrested.
As he was being taken away, Mr. Paikin said he saw another journalist, Jesse Rosenfeld, a contributor to the Guardian website, showing his identification to two police officers. At that point, according to Mr. Paikin, each of them took one of Mr. Rosenfeld’s arm as a third police officer, wearing a t-shirt and shorts, punched the reporter in the stomach. After Mr. Rosenfeld fell to the ground, the third officer jabbed an elbow into his back. Mr. Paikin said."
As he was being taken away, Mr. Paikin said he saw another journalist, Jesse Rosenfeld, a contributor to the Guardian website, showing his identification to two police officers. At that point, according to Mr. Paikin, each of them took one of Mr. Rosenfeld’s arm as a third police officer, wearing a t-shirt and shorts, punched the reporter in the stomach. After Mr. Rosenfeld fell to the ground, the third officer jabbed an elbow into his back. Mr. Paikin said."
Mr. Harper. Please stop this now.
Update June 28: I am not certain when I will be posting today. Suffice to say there is a conversation going on about this incident and the underlying principles involved. The police have a difficult - frankly, thankless - job to do but what Paikin describes is unacceptable. Some of the most conservative voices in the country are very concerned today.
Posted by Ghost of a flea at June 27, 2010 09:12 PM
