A New Jersey reporter has accused CNN political analyst April Ryan’s bodyguard of assaulting him and stealing his camera equipment at an event she was speaking at on Aug. 3.
In a lengthy Twitter thread Monday, Charlie Kratovil, founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, explained he had gone through the process to get permission to cover the event. When it was time for Ryan to speak, Kratovil said a man approached and questioned his credentials.
After the man returned and demanded he take down his camera, Kratovil said other people began to pressure him to stop recording. When Ryan took the stage, Kratovil and other people affiliated with the event left the room to discuss the matter. He later found out the man was named Joel Morris and worked as a security guard for Ryan.
I asked if he had a card & he responded by saying he was “with the speaker.” He left & I thought this would be the end of it, but the mystery man returned, threatening to “take… down” my camera if I did not do so myself.
I declined to acquiesce to this threat from a stranger.
— Charlie Kratovil (@Charlie4Change) August 5, 2019
Ms. Ryan’s remarks were then interrupted by a visit from the mystery man, who I later learned is named Joel Morris and works as a “security guard” for Ms. Ryan.
Mr. Morris approached the podium & said something to her. She nodded and went silent for the next 27 seconds.
— Charlie Kratovil (@Charlie4Change) August 5, 2019
“Rather than, you know, pushing the camera’s record button to stop the video recording (or just turning it off), Mr. Morris proceeded to unplug my camera, grab the tripod it was connected to, and steal the entire thing,” Kratovil explained. “As soon as Mr. Morris touched our camera, I spoke up, saying: ‘Don’t touch my camera, please. Put that down. Don’t you dare. Put that down, sir.'”
According to Kratovil, Ryan told the audience she did not want the “news covering my speech” so that she was able to have an “unfettered” discussion. Kratovil said he was able to get his equipment back from Morris out in the hotel lobby, but Morris then appears in video taken by the hotel security system, in which he appears to manhandle Kratovil and drag him out of the building.
“I screamed and used some profane language towards Mr. Morris as he grabbed my left arm and twisted it behind my back, injuring my forearm and shoulder. I later gave a statement to NBPD’s Ryan Daughton & he told me that he’d prepare a police report. I intend to press charges,” Kratovil tweeted.
Here is the surveillance video from the hotel, provided to me by Charlie. It shows @AprilDRyan‘s bodyguard trying to snatch his camera and assaulting the local reporter. The video ends with the bodyguard dragging him out of the building. pic.twitter.com/rnAM0iVNEc
— Marcus J. DiPaola (@marcusdipaola) August 14, 2019
CNN did not return a request for comment in time for publication.
