L-A Radio Journalist Arrested At Protest

KPCC's Josie Huang

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested a public radio reporter covering a protest that broke out late Saturday night outside a Lynwood hospital where two deputies were being treated for gunshot wounds.

KTLA 5 reports video showed several deputies pulling KPCC 89.3 FM and LAist reporter Josie Huang up from the ground and handcuffing her outside St. Francis Medical Center. Earlier, video showed deputies pushing her away from a patrol car where others were detaining a man.

What appeared to be a press badge could be seen around Huang’s neck while she was being detained and put into a patrol car, the video shows.

On Sunday, Huang released videos that her phone captured in the moments leading up to and during her arrest. One shows her approaching to film deputies detaining a man on the ground before they started yelling, “back up, back up.”

Here’s more of the video, the zoom is still on.

I saw a commotion ahead of me. Deputies rushed one man and chased another.

I was filming an arrest when suddenly deputies shout “back up.” Within seconds, I was getting shoved around. There was nowhere to back up. pic.twitter.com/Y0amc46NZr

— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020

The clips appeared to contradict the Sheriff’s Department’s account and drew widespread condemnation from journalists and the national Committee to Protect Journalists. Following their release, Sheriff’s Captain Kerry Carter tweeted that “an active investigation is underway.”

Another clip Huang tweeted shows a deputy apparently stepping on the phone as a crackling sound is heard. Another deputy is then seen kicking it. In the background, she’s heard saying “You guys are hurting me.”

After her arrest, the Sheriff’s Department said she had “interfered with the arrest” of a man who deputies were taking into custody. Huang said she was charged with obstructing a peace officer, a misdemeanor, and released from custody hours later.

It’s not clear if charges have actually been filed by the District Attorney’s Office.

“The female adult, who was later identified as a member of the press, did not identify herself as press and later admitted she did not have proper press credentials on her person,” the Sheriff’s Department said.

However, following Huang’s release of videos contradicting that narrative, Carter tweeted that the department planned to further investigate the arrest.

Executive Editor at KPCC and LAist, Megan Garvey, tweeted photos of bruises on Huang’s arm and ankle after the reporter was released from custody.

Garvey described Huang as an “an award winning, thoughtful journalist who has been covering protests for months.”

Thank you https://t.co/5ajOiRV1m6 for what is the clearest footage of my arrest by @LASDHQ.

It’s how I remember it — like being tossed around in the ocean and then slammed into rock pic.twitter.com/G3rfCR1NiI

— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 14, 2020

L.A. County Mark Ridley-Thomas called for the Inspector General to launch an immediate investigation into Huang’s arrest.