Boston authorities should not have blocked media from covering protest

Coverage Type: 

[Commentary] While plenty of media commentators and politicians lauded the efforts of Boston politicians and the Boston Police Department to keep the peace Aug 19 during a extreme-right-wing rally and massive counter protests, they failed at protecting the media’s right to cover a newsworthy event. Reporters were not able to actually cover the program of the event because authorities enforced a barrier of up to 50 yards around the speakers’ platform, preventing reporters from entering. Journalists were blocked from witnessing and reporting on the very reason for the massive crowds. The precautions ostensibly were designed for public safety—to keep those participating in the protest and counter protests apart from one another—but statements from law enforcement suggest the nature of the rally played a role.

At minimum, the city should have provided for a limited number of reporters to access the event, which was held in a public place. Instead, police acted as a sort of private door guard for the protest organizers, blocking access to all but a handful of people supporters vouched for at the gates. A group of about 20 people, including white-nationalist and neo-Nazi speakers, took part in the so-called “Free Speech” rally.

[Sarah Betancourt is a Boston-based reporter who focuses on public policy writing.]


Boston authorities should not have blocked media from covering protest