Journalists arrested as protests open outside RNC

Radio host Amy Goodman and two Democracy Now! producers were arrested Monday while covering a protest of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. According to a news release by the show, all three were later released; Goodman was charged with obstruction while Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar face riot charges.

The two producers said they were bloodied in their encounters with the officers. Salazar, according to the release, was “slammed to the ground while yelling, ‘I’m Press! Press!” Goodman’s arrest, which came as she asked why the other two were being detained, was captured on video.

Matthew Rourke, an Associated Press photographer, was also among more than 280 people arrested at the protest as police resorted to using pepper spray and tear gas on the crowd, according to multiple news reports. Rourke was taken to jail and released late last night.