Two journalists arrested, one charged, at collision scene in Hamilton
Posts on social media show arrests actually taking place on May 16.
By H.G. Watson, Managing Editor
Details are still emerging about the arrest of two journalists at a collision scene in a Hamilton community on the evening of May 16.
According to the Hamilton Spectator, freelance reporter David Ritchie was arrested and charged with obstructing police. Global News cameraman and editor Jeremy Cohn was arrested and released.
Both were reporting on the scene of the death of a 10-year-old girl in Hamilton, who was reportedly hit by a car.
Other media at the scene caught images of the arrests as they happened.
https://twitter.com/_barrygray_/status/864624562067079168
https://twitter.com/_barrygray_/status/864624835741220865
Here is @Media371 after being detained by @HamiltonPolice for 1 1/2 hours. @CTVToronto pic.twitter.com/4z0n35pufF
— Sean Leathong (@CTVSean) May 17, 2017
Troy Reeb, senior vice president of news, radio and station operations at Corus Entertainment, said on Twitter that last night that while their journalist was released, the incident “merits further investigation.”
https://twitter.com/troyreebglobal/status/864664786474119168
https://twitter.com/troyreebglobal/status/864665399547146240
Ritchie tweeted that he would be “seeking resolution.”
Thanks for the support, I have great relationships with many first responders. This was an isolated issue and I will be seeking resolution.
— DR (@Media371) May 17, 2017
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression issued a statement on May 17, 2017 calling on Hamilton Police Service to dismiss the charges against Ritchie and hold a public inquiry into “the circumstances which lead to the forceful detention and arrest of members of the media.”
Update, May 18, 2017: The Hamilton Spectator reports that Hamilton police chief Eric Girt will reviewing the arrests.
We will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.
H.G. Watson was J-Source's managing editor from 2015 to 2018. She is a journalist based in Toronto. You can learn more about her at hgwatson.com.