A FOX 7 Austin KTBC photojournalist was arrested at the pro-Palestine protests held on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin Wednesday afternoon.
UPDATE APRIL 30, 2024
Texas DPS charges against photojournalist dropped after UT protest arrest
UPDATE
Fox 7 Austin photographer has charges dropped upon release
Guy with camera gets rko’d by police at Palestine protest. #ut #palestine #protest pic.twitter.com/5HI2SU8VKs
— Christopher Kuhlman (@Chris_Kuhlman00) April 24, 2024
KTBC did not identify the photographer, but as he was being taken away by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper, the TV photog said in an X video posted by KXAN weekend anchor Nabil Remadna that his name was Carlos. UPDATE: KXAN later identified him as Carlos Sanchez.
This man says he is a member of the press. An officer said his camera hit an officer. The man claims it was not on purpose. @KXAN_News pic.twitter.com/mZUcTSNJuZ
— Nabil Brent Remadna KXAN (@RemadnaKXAN) April 24, 2024
"They were pushing me, and they said that I hit an officer," Carlos said in the video. "I didn’t hit an officer. They were pushing me.
"No, this has never happened to me. I was just covering things, and they were pushing. Yeah, I told him that I was the press. This one says I was hitting an officer. I was not hitting nobody."
According to FOX 7, its photographer was booked into the Travis County Jail later in the evening and charged with criminal trespassing. KVUE reports that more than 50 people were arrested.
"This is ridiculous. I worked with Carlos @fox7austin," abc13 Houston KTRK reporter Shannon Ryan posted to X. "Like the rest of their team, he is kind and professional. The fact he is sitting in jail for having done nothing but his job is an embarrassment and waste of public resources."
This is ridiculous. I worked with Carlos @fox7austin. Like the rest of their team, he is kind and professional. The fact he is sitting in jail for having done nothing but his job is an embarrassment and waste of public resources. https://t.co/IbufKsX9GU
— Shannon Ryan (@_shanryan) April 24, 2024
"I can’t remember a journalist ever being arrested for doing his job in my 24 years of reporting in Austin," Austin American-Statesman and KVUE reporter Tony Plohetski posted.
I can’t remember a journalist ever being arrested for doing his job in my 24 years of reporting in Austin. https://t.co/onOzhh6yPq
— Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) April 24, 2024
