British photographer covering rioting in New York is arrested during George Floyd protests and held in custody for 12 hours
- Adam Gray, 33, a New York based photojournalist was covering the social unrest
- Despite showing his press pass that had been issued to him he was arrested
- Since the protests began, at least 790 people have been arrested in New York
- It comes after Trump tweeted that the press were the ‘enemy of the people’
A British photographer covering the rioting in New York was held in custody for 12 hours after being arrested during the George Floyd protests.
Adam Gray, 33, a New York based photojournalist for agency SWNS, had been taking photographs of the social unrest following the death of the black man in Minneapolis.
He was thrown to the ground by police with several officers climbing on top of him in order to restrain him, before forcing him into handcuffs.
Despite showing his press pass that had been issued to him by the US State Department at the UN Plaza, Gray was arrested and put into a police vehicle.
He was charged with unlawful assembly near Union Square and spent 12 hours through the night in custody alongside protesters.
Violence and chaos continued to spread through New York yesterday as police cars were set on fire and many looted luxury stores. Nearly 800 people have been arrested in the city so far since the protests began.
Adam Gray, 33, (pictured) a New York based photojournalist for agency SWNS, had been taking photographs at protests following the death of black man George Floyd in Minneapolis
It came as violence and chaos continued to spread through New York as police cars were set on fire and many looted luxury shops. Nearly 800 people have been arrested in the city so far since the protests began. Pictured: police in Manhattan
Since the George Floyd protests began days ago, at least 790 people have been arrested, 33 officers have been injured and 27 police vehicles have been damaged or destroyed, the NYPD said. Pictured: a man on top of a police car in Manhattan
It comes after President Trump last month tweeted that the press were the ‘enemy of the people’, ramping up his frequent attacks on the media.
The full Tweet on April 5 read: ‘The press is doing everything within their power to fight the magnificence of the phrase, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! They can’t stand the fact that this Administration has done more than virtually any other Administration in its first 2yrs. They are truly the ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!’
Since the George Floyd protests began days ago, at least 790 people have been arrested, 33 officers have been injured and 27 police vehicles have been damaged or destroyed, the NYPD said.
Gray said today: ‘The whole time that I was being arrested, I was shouting that I was press and showing them my Foreign Press card, but they just didn’t seem to care.
The cracked lens of British photographer Adam Gray from SWNS, currently working in New York, who is believed to be the first journalist to face charges after being arrested covering the race riots in the city last night
In Manhattan a line of cops armed with plastic shields and batons were seen storming into a crowd of protesters on Sunday evening amid growing agitation. Pictured: a small fire in Manhattan last night
‘I get that in the heat of the moment you might get pushed or grabbed, but as soon as you say that you’re press, it normally stops there but not this time.
‘I’ve worked in many other countries doing work like this and never has it gone as far as this. I couldn’t believe it.’
In Manhattan a line of cops armed with plastic shields and batons were seen storming into a crowd of protesters on Sunday evening amid growing agitation.
A circle of eight cops was seen gathering around one protester, flinging him to the ground and arresting him. Nearby also in Manhattan a car was sent up in flames Sunday evening, leaving demonstrators scrambling.
On Sunday stores across all New York boroughs were ransacked, including a Chanel in Soho and a Coach store in Midtown.
On Sunday stores across all New York boroughs were ransacked, including a Chanel in Soho and a Coach store in Midtown. Pictured is a police officer in Manhattan last night
The protests continued in Soho in the early hours of Monday, where mobs of people rampaged down the sidewalks, smashing into numerous luxury shops to steal merchandise
People protest in Manhattan, New York, lighting fires and creating barricades, as protests have spread around the country since George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis
The protests continued in Soho in the early hours of Monday, where mobs of people rampaged down the sidewalks, smashing into numerous luxury shops to steal merchandise.
Hundreds of people marauded through the area, breaking into Rolex, Chanel and Prada boutiques as well as clothing and electronics stores. One person was shot amid the chaos and was being treated in an ambulance.
Adam had been heading down 13st near Union Square on Saturday 30 May after filing Manhattan protest photos by Astor Place.
During his arrest, police claimed that they had made several orders for people to leave the area before Adam had arrived on the street.
Adam said: ‘I walked down the street taking photos as I went and then the cops rushed the crowd.
‘I photographed the pandemonium that ensued of them pushing and grabbing protesters before one big cop came at me and pushed me to the ground with his truncheon to my chest.
‘I smashed into the floor with my three cameras as three or four cops then got on top of me, restraining me and putting me in handcuffs as I shouted repeatedly that I was press.’
Adam was put into a police van with about 20 other protesters and waited for half an hour inside before being driven down to 1 Police Plaza, Manhattan.
This week hundreds of protests have unfolded in at least 145 cities across the country as people gather in outrage over the horrifying death of George Floyd. Pictured are crowds in Manhattan
He claims police were removing masks from the protesters and not returning them as they sat in close proximity to other people in holding.
Adam said: ‘I was explaining that I was accredited press at every opportunity.
‘I got searched, processed, had my photo taken and then put into a large holding cell of 50-70 people at its fullest with zero social distancing.
‘Police had removed masks from some protestors for their photo but then refused to give them back and did not offer any extra masks.’
Adam was held in custody for eight hours until approximately 9.15am on Sunday May 31 when he had his fingerprints and photos taken.
He was given a Desk Appearance ticket for a court date on September 10 2020 for an offence charged of PL 240.10.
This offence means that ‘a person is guilty of unlawful assembly when he assembles with four or more other persons for the purpose of engaging or preparing to engage with them in tumultuous and violent conduct likely to cause public alarm, or when, being present at an assembly which either has or develops such purpose, he remains there with intent to advance that purpose.’
Adam was then released from the police station and is now back home in New York with a broken filter on his camera and a court date to wait for.
He said: ‘I was really shocked when they arrested me. I was just in total disbelief.
‘We were held in such close proximity to other people in the holding cell and police weren’t letting people have their masks.
‘Considering there is a worldwide pandemic right now, it felt very irresponsible and dangerous of the police to do that.
Donald Trump spent Sunday berating his enemies on Twitter and demanding ‘law and order’ in Democratic-run cities, but did not appear in public and opted against making a televised address to calm tensions
Crowds, some on motorbikes, gather in Manhattan, New York, yesterday as anger bubbles over in America
‘It was shocking to see how blase the police were about the risk of coronavirus and public health.
‘Thankfully, I do not have any injuries but I am in disbelief at what happened.’
SWNS Editor-in-Chief Andrew Young said: ‘This is an affront to press freedom and goes against every principle held dear by all journalists and those it aims to inform.
‘Adam Gray has been on the front line daily covering the pandemic that has crippled New York and the nation as a whole.
‘To be arrested for simply doing his job, at considerable risk to himself, while chronicling the violence that ensued following the tragic death of George Floyd is frankly outrageous.’
Jon Mills, SWNS Picture Editor, said: ‘It is deeply concerning that the NYPD appear to be trying to shut down honest and objective reporting.
‘Bringing charges against a working photojournalist just for doing his job is an utter outrage and we will fight this every step of the way.’
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