Dr. Anna Feigenbaum, author of the book Tear Gas: From the Battlefields of World War I to the Streets of Today, shares a riot control primer for journalists covering protests across the United States.
Covering civil unrest can be frightening and dangerous. A crowd may turn violent with little warning and police can target journalists or mistake them for rabble rousers. It’s particularly challenging to maintain social distancing during a riot, so take extra precautions to stay on the edge for quick exit. Bring extra masks, gloves and sanitizer for gear.
On July 17, the UN Security Council debated the safety of journalists. The following week, government officials, journalists and technologists gathered for TechCamp NYC, an event aimed at finding ways to use technology to protect journalists working in conflict zones.
At Berkeley's conference on The Media at War, speakers raised tough questions about press freedom and independence, about the relationship between media and military, and about the ethics of presenting, or withholding, graphic and disturbing details to mainstream audiences.