In total, in the one year following the May 2020 death of Floyd, police arrested nearly 160 journalists covering Black Lives Matter demonstrations across the country. More than 620 journalists were assaulted — about 86% at the hands of law enforcement — in that same time frame.
Lacking federal oversight, journalists are left to the policies and reform measures — if any — at the state and local level and otherwise to seek protections or relief in the courts.
That’s why at least 50 journalists have filed First Amendment lawsuits against law enforcement after their assaults or arrests during the Black Lives Matter protests, according to our data. As of today, 6 of those lawsuits — involving 18 journalists — are still pending.
