A Birmingham-based journalist was among a handful of people arrested for curfew violation in Linn Park Thursday night.
Michael Harriot is a senior writer for the Root, a popular online publication covering black culture and news. Harriot primarily covers racial justice issues. He lives in Hoover.
Harriot’s arrest happened at the end of a protest at Linn Park. A crowd gathered outside of the park beginning about 3 p.m. and steadily grew to roughly 100 as the hours went on. Some were familiar faces from previous protests, but there were a lot of new faces as well and they came from all over Jefferson County.
Many of those who attended Thursday’s protest said they did so because of rumors that the KKK was in town. Although police had received intelligence about possible violent protests and counter-protests, authorities said they do not know where the KKK rumor started.
As the 7 p.m. curfew approached, Birmingham police announced over a loudspeaker for the crowd to disperse and reminded media representatives to have their press credentials on hand and visible.
The majority of protesters left peacefully except a handful who said they were willing to get arrested, which they were.
Police officers then approached the area where media was staging. Harriot was using his cell phone to video the events. Harriot was asked by officers, “Are you media?” to which he replied, “Yes I am.” He was asked if he could show credentials but said he did not have any with him.
The department’s public information officer, Sgt. Rod Mauldin, said he then asked him if there was anyway to make contact with his company to confirm he was media and Harriot said no. Officers then handcuffed him with ziptie cuffs and took him to a waiting police van.
Harriot posted about his arrest on Twitter saying, “Arrested. Was covering protests. Still in Birmingham City Jail.” He later tweeted, “I’m out. I’m good. Just hungry AF and want the City of Birmingham to know that officer C. Lancaster is DEFINITELY the next Derek Chauvin.”
Harriot sent this statement to AL.com Friday morning: “Less than 24 hours after writing that the Birmingham Police Department was not plagued with the problems that have infected other law enforcement agencies and sparked nationwide protests, I guess I’ll have to issue a retraction. I am grateful for the lesson from the BPD.”
Two AL.com reporters were detained for curfew violation, but not charged, following a protest earlier in the week.
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin via twitter said, "Our curfew was not intended to stifle the voices of our people or our press. We need them now more than ever. I am a strong believer int he First Amendment, especially now. This moment needs our voices - including the voice of a free press. I am actively speaking with BPD leadership & local media leaders to advocate for the safety, access and freedom of press. I have also charged my team, in conjunction with community partners, w/ leading a review of policing and confinement policies. Stay tuned for coming updates.”