RT America’s Alexander Rubinstein is being arrested while covering the protests near McPherson Square in Washington, DC. He was in the crowd, covering protesters when police circled a group of people.
Rubinstein is among the group being arrested at 12th and L Streets NW. He is being taken into custody, even though he showed police his media credentials.
Here is the flash grenade they used that blinded me and left my ears ringing. Cops encircled crowd when I couldn’t see; arresting everyone pic.twitter.com/bL2ulgv9DR
— Alexander Rubinstein (@AlexR_DC) January 20, 2017
“I was hit in the face with a flash grenade, it blinded me for a moment and my ears were ringing for a while,” Rubinstein said. “By the time I was done being treated and I could see again, we were encircled by police and I was told that everybody present would be arrested. It doesn’t matter that I’m press.”
RT America has many reporters covering the inauguration from various aspects. Rubinstein is following the DisruptJ20 anti-capitalist march.
The National Park Police have surrounded the group, corralling them with riot shields, Rubinstein said. It’s reported illegal to “cattle corral” protesters in this manner, and there is already talk of a lawsuit among the group.
Trying to get a video statement out about my arrest but it is not uploading yet. Stay tuned and follow @RT_America
— Alexander Rubinstein (@AlexR_DC) January 20, 2017
“We’re just waiting, the police are filming us, waiting for them to arrest us, surrounded by riot shields,” he said.
Police appear to be taking people one at a time. It is unclear if they are being detained or arrested.
This is the first mass arrest in DC in 14 years, according to DisruptJ20, but that information could not be verified by RT.
Via RT. This piece was reprinted by RINF Alternative News with permission or license.