Freelance Reporter Sues Police Over Arrest During Protest Coverage
- Benjamin Hendren, a journalist, was detained by Georgia State University police while documenting arrests.
- Reports indicate that police encouraged construction workers to provide false testimony against him.
- Hendren has since filed a lawsuit claiming his rights were violated during the incident.
Freelance reporter John Hendren has filed a lawsuit against Georgia State University police officers following his arrest while covering a protest against the construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, commonly referred to as "Cop City." On July 29, 2022, Hendren, working for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, arrived at the scene after hearing police activity over the radio. He began photographing the arrests of protesters from a public sidewalk, asserting that he did not engage in any illegal activity. According to the lawsuit, Hendren was arrested despite not interfering with police operations. The suit claims that officers forcibly took photographs of him while he was handcuffed and sitting on the curb, even pulling his hair to position him for a photo against his will. The complaint further alleges that officers encouraged employees from Brasfield & Gorrie, the construction firm involved, to make false statements about Hendren, suggesting he had committed crimes at the site. The lawsuit contends that the officers' actions were a direct violation of Hendren's First Amendment rights, as courts have upheld the right to photograph police activity as long as it does not interfere with their work. Hendren was detained for over seven hours before being released, and his suit argues that the arrest was retaliatory, stemming from his protected activity of documenting public police actions. The case raises significant questions about press freedom and the rights of journalists in the field.