Washington, June 10: A US federal judge in the state of Minnesota denied a request for a temporary restraining order to prevent police from using force against journalists covering protests, court documents revealed.
“[Jared] Goyette has not established that harm is certain and of such imminence that there is a clear and present need for equitable relief,” the court document said on Tuesday.
On June 2, Goyette, a freelance journalist, filed a lawsuit against Minneapolis law enforcement for their use of force against members of the media during coverage of protests in the city on May 31.
US Judge Wilhelmina Wright said in the court document that the lawsuit was dismissed because Goyette does not allege that police have used chemical irritant or less-lethal munitions since May 31, nor does he allege that the police is likely to use such methods “imminently.”
On May 31, the Russian Embassy in the United States sent a protest note to the Department of State after a Minneapolis police officer pepper-sprayed RIA Novosti reporter Mikhail Turgiyev in the face. The journalist was attacked along with a crew of the VICE magazine after the protests were over. All journalists identified themselves as members of the media and did not resist police.
On June 1, Sputnik journalist Nicole Roussell said she was fired at by police several times while covering protests in Washington, DC despite identifying that she was a member of the media. A stinger grenade left two welts on her hip and thigh.
(AGENCIES)
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