Today is #WorldPressFreedomDay ! Whether its Benny Polatseck saying reporters shouldn't be at the scene of breaking news or the @NYPDNews keeping reporters away so they can record their own propaganda films, you don't have to look far to find threats to a free press.

Here is Deputy Commissioner of Public Information telling reporters it was a 'joint decision' to not inform press than an officer accidentally fired his Glock handgun during the raid of Columbia University.

Did Mayor Eric Adams weigh in?

'This is a police department incident, why are you bringing in the mayor?'

The 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment' at FIT is now the only one remaining in NYC following this morning's sweeps of encampments at NYU, The New School, and Parsons.

Fordham's encampment was swept on Wednesday and the encampments at Columbia and CCNY were swept on Tuesday

NEW: More than three dozen local elected officials are calling on Mayor Adams to discipline NYPD Chief John Chell over “illegal” and “dangerous” social media attacks the police honcho has leveled against lawmakers, journalists and others in recent months. nydailynews.com/2024/05/03/nyc…

After holding court for the triumphant press conference the morning after the raids on Columbia and City College, the mayor appears to have a scheduling conflict that will prevent him from attending the press conference addressing the revelation cops shot a gun during the raids.

Is this an example of Ivy League students getting off easy while CUNY students get the book thrown at them? Maybe. But the more likely explanation is that City College protesters were arrested *in the process* of breaking into a building while Columbia protesters weren't.

This needs a lot more attention. Kudos to THE CITY for looking into this

I’m glad student journalists are being recognized, but dozens and dozens of Palestinian journalists have been killed for doing their jobs, yet as far as I can tell, the board has said nothing about them.

Although entering the U.S. is the goal for many asylum seekers, crossing the border is far from the end. For my first film at ProPublica, we followed the Pabóns, a Venezuelan family, as they struggle to navigate a patchwork asylum system.

propublica.org/article/the-ri…

The Pulitzer Board gives a shoutout to student journalists.

New York Focus is reporting on student protests at college campuses in New York, and police responses to them.

We're looking to connect with students who have participated in these protests, and contributing writers on the ground.

airtable.com/appyqjDG5zpq1y…

NEW: On NPR, Mayor Eric Adams says 'over 40%' of protestors arrested and those who participated in Columbia and CCNY protests are non-students, which is the first time anyone from the admin or NYPD has released any percentage or number. Still awaiting more details.

“They were capturing history.”Columbia student journalists are covering their own campus protests. ⁦Columbia Journalism⁩ apnews.com/article/israel…

Late Tuesday night, the NYPD descended on the City College of New York to confront students protesting Israel’s war on Gaza.

Hundreds of officers took over the streets, pushed, tackled, and chased students. They took 173 students and faculty into custody.

Here is katie honan confronting Deputy Commissioner of Public Information with evidence that the chain he wielded to imply that “outside agitators” barricaded Hamilton Hall is a common bike lock that Columbia University itself sold to their students

This bike lock is/was available for sale on campus via Columbia's Public Safety department under their 'Crime Prevention Discount Bike, Locker and Laptop Lock Program'.

See their flier with a discount here: publicsafety.columbia.edu/sites/default/…

Subtle language change here, from 'outside agitators' to 'agitators.' Still awaiting official NYPD breakdown of how many arrested at Columbia and CCNY were students vs non-students

Police have now arrested over 1,700 protesters at campuses across the country.

Prosecutors can drop these charges—or seek harsh criminal penalties that could ruin students' lives.

We asked 80+ prosecutors what they plan to do—see their answers here:
theappeal.org/prosecutors-ch…