Protests have become part of the political and electoral landscape in the United States from college campuses to campaign rallies. But covering protests safely represents an enormous challenge for the press. During the 2020 nationwide protests that followed the murder of George Floyd, hundreds of journalists were arrested and assaulted by law enforcement. Journalists, like protesters, have a legal right to be present in public spaces and document police activities, but the ability of journalists to remain on the scene—when a dispersal order is given or a curfew imposed—is more circumscribed.

“On the Skirmish Line” will open with a presentation from Gabe Rottman on a settlement agreement with the NYPD and a soon-to-be-released report from the Justice Department that could strengthen protections for the press. The conversation—moderated by Joel Simon—will also cover the evolving climate for protest coverage from a legal and practical perspective.

The panel is organized by the Journalism Protection Initiative at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and co-sponsored by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.