The mayor of Virginia’s capital city sought to make amends after at least two reporters said they were mistreated by police while covering a protest Sunday night.
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney tweeted Monday morning that his office would look into what happened.
“There is NO reason this should have happened to a member of the press,” Stoney tweeted. “No reason. It is absolutely unacceptable, and we are investigating the matter.
There is NO reason this should have happened to a member of the press. No reason. It is absolutely unacceptable, and we are investigating the matter.
— Levar M. Stoney (@LevarStoney) June 1, 2020
Richmond City Hall reporter Roberto Roldan said he was pepper-sprayed and “shoved” to the ground by Richmond police after showed his press badge to officers.
“After showing my badge and yelling ‘I am with the press’ a @RichmondPolice officer sprayed pepper spray in my face and shoved me to the ground,” Roldan, who works for the public media company VPM, tweeted. “Had ‘3397’ on his helmet. I’m out.”
After showing my badge and yelling “I am with the press” a @RichmondPolice officer sprayed pepper spray in my face and shoved me to the ground. Had “3397” on his helmet. I’m out. @myVPM #Richmond #GeorgeFloydProtests
— Roberto Roldan (@ByRobertoR) June 1, 2020
Thousands of protesters assembled in Richmond over the weekend to demonstrate after George Floyd died in the custody of the Minneapolis police department.
Many of the demonstrators directed their frustration at several Confederate monuments that line a major thoroughfare in the city.
NBC12 reporter Olivia Ugino tweeted that she was “grabbed” by Richmond police and told to leave the area as they arrested protesters.
I was told I was fine with my credentials. I then tried to get video of the arrest, with my door open, and another officer reached in and grabbed me. We were then told to leave. @NBC12 pic.twitter.com/7X4Nsuyvfb
— Olivia Ugino (@OliviaNBC12) June 1, 2020
Several members of the press have been fired upon and arrested over the five days of chaotic protests stretching across the United States. On Thursday morning, CNN reporter Omar Jimenez and members of his camera crew were arrested while covering the aftermath of a night of protests in Minneapolis. Later that night, a reporter in Louisville was shot with rubber bullets while attempting to cover protests in the Kentucky city.
Richmond resident Melissa McKenney was distraught by violent scenes in Virginia and said the police department should be ashamed of its actions.
“A @RichmondPolice officer knowingly attacked a reporter from our @NPR member station @myVPM tonight,” McKenney tweeted. “The reporter had on a yellow vest, IDed himself as press & showed his badge. Still he was pepper sprayed & thrown to the ground. So were others. Shame on RPD.”
A @RichmondPolice officer knowingly attacked a reporter from our @NPR member station @myVPM tonight.
The reporter had on a yellow vest, IDed himself as press & showed his badge. Still he was pepper sprayed & thrown to the ground. So were others.
Shame on RPD. https://t.co/2vVVw8zIsw
— Melissa McKenney (@AtMelemrva) June 1, 2020
Hours before the protests in Richmond on Sunday, Virginia Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam announced a “state of emergency” in the state.
