Reporter arrested, held overnight while covering NYC pro-Palestinian protest

Freelance reporter Roni Jacobson was arrested by police while documenting a pro-Palestinian protest in New York City on Dec. 31, 2023. She was held overnight and released the following afternoon after the Manhattan district attorney’s office dropped the charges.

Jacobson, who was on assignment for the New York Daily News, told the outlet that she was covering a protest near Times Square and attempted to enter a cordoned-off area. Police allowed other pedestrians to pass, but asked Jacobson to provide identification.

According to the Daily News, Jacobson identified herself to the New York Police Department officers as a reporter but told them that her request for city-issued press credentials was still pending. The police ordered her to back up, Jacobson said, but as she did so another officer arrested her.

The Daily News reported that Jacobson contacted a night editor for the outlet who confirmed to police that Jacobson was on assignment.

Police alleged in a statement to the Daily News that Jacobson “attempted to physically push past the officers in an attempt to gain entry and was then placed under arrest without further incident.” Jacobson denied that version of events. Neither Jacobson nor the NYPD responded to requests for further information.

Jacobson was held overnight at the Midtown South Precinct and charged with obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct, the Daily News reported. She was released in the late afternoon on Jan. 1, 2024, when the district attorney declined to prosecute the case.

A spokesperson for the DA’s office told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker said he was unable to comment on the case as it has been sealed, noting that a dismissal is a common reason for sealing a case.

In its report, the Daily News praised the decision to drop the charges, but said it is still seeking answers on why Jacobson was detained in the first place.

“Freedom of the press to operate freely and unimpeded in coverage of protests is critical for informing the public through our news coverage,” Daily News Executive Editor Andrew Julien said. “We plan on following up with the NYPD to understand what conduct could have justified the arrest.”