Michigan police on Sunday apologized after a Black reporter was arrested the day before while holding a Proud Boys rally and protesting.
KDPS arrested a MLive reporter believed they were interfering or obstructing their operations, ”Kalamazoo Police Department Chief Karianne Thomas told a news conference. “This person had visible references and should not have been arrested.”
‘I apologize for the trauma this young man is causing. We all respect the sanctity of the press, ‘Thomas added.
.@KalPublicSafety Chief Karianne Thomas apologized to me on Saturday: “KDPS arrested @MLive reporter, who they believed was interfering or obstructing their operations … This person had visible references and did not need to be arrested. ” pic.twitter.com/z9DOkf6txi
– Samuel J. Robinson (@samueljrob) August 17, 2020
The reporter, Samuel Robinson, had been covering the protest all day. He tweeted that he was arrested and accused of obstructing traffic while reporting live on Facebook for MLive.
Apologies for the delay. Police arrived when Proud Boys returned to a parking garage near the Raddison HotelI. I was arrested and accused of obstructing traffic while reporting live on Facebook for @MLive. pic.twitter.com/KcGL7v2crg
– Samuel J. Robinson (@samueljrob) August 15, 2020
Kalamazoo police said nine arrests were made during demonstrations, and one youth who was arrested was later released to parents.
The confrontation between the far-right Proud Boys group, designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and counter-protests began just before 2 p.m., WOODTV reported. Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck. Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck.
Five of the nine arrests were handled by the city, while four were handled by the province, WWMT reported.
Kalamazoo Mayor David Anderson said he consulted with the city attorney to see if less serious charges could fall, according to the outlet. The mayor apparently said he did not want to ignore what had happened, but asked the prosecutors to drop, based on the context of the protests.
He also praised the Proud Boys and said he rejected the group’s tactics and beliefs.
“The city of Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo administration actually support Black Lives Matter,” Anderson said, according to WWMT.
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