INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists condemns the raid made by Virginia police and Marsha Garst, Commonwealth's Attorney for Rockingham County and the City of Harrisonburg, of the James Madison University student newspaper, The Breeze.
According to The Roanoke Times, officers confiscated more than 900 photographs, over 600 of which were of the Springfest riot on April 10.
The following is a letter the Society sent to Garst:
Marsha L. Garst
Commonwealth's Attorney for Rockingham County and the City of Harrisonburg
Judicial Center
53 Court Square
Harrisonburg, VA 22801
(540) 564-3350
mgarst@rockinghamcountyva.gov
Dear Ms. Garst:
The leadership of the Society of Professional Journalists is outraged by your actions when you barged into the offices of The Breeze at James Madison University on Friday, April 16, 2010 and seized over 900 published and unpublished photos from the newsroom. We are especially troubled that your actions appeared to have violated the federal Privacy Protection Act of 1980.
The office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney has trampled on the freedom of the press by trying to use this media outlet as an arm of law enforcement. In a democratic society it is vital to have an unfettered press free to exercise the First Amendment without fear of government intervention.
We recognize the need to investigate an out-of-control public event where crimes may have been committed but there are more appropriate tools available to law enforcement than to bully the student newspaper.
We would like to point out that your own state’s constitution says that, “The freedoms of speech and of the press are among the great bulwarks of liberty and can never be restrained except by despotic governments.”
We ask that you return ALL of the materials, as well as copies, taken during your raid and issue an apology to the student newspaper, its staff and the University community.
Sincerely,
Kevin Smith
SPJ President
Sue Kopen Katcef
SPJ Campus Adviser At-Large
George Daniels
SPJ Campus Adviser At-Large
Neil Ralston
SPJ Vice President of Campus Chapter Affairs
Bill McCloskey
SPJ Director At-Large
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement