Michigan reporter punched in the face while covering anti-mask, anti-vaccine rally; sheriff is investigating - Entrepreneur Generations

Brandon Quealy

The Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office is investigating reports that a Michigan reporter was punched in the face while attempting to cover an anti-mask, anti-vaccine rally last week, Mardi Link reports for the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

The incident happened when Record-Eagle reporter Brendan Quealy went to a public park in a nearby township Thursday to cover an event organized by Citizens Liberating Michigan. The group opposes masking and vaccine mandates for schools and other organizations, and announced the event after the local school board voted to require masking for all K-12 students and staff through Sept. 27, Link reports.

After Quealy began recording audio of the event with his cellphone, one of the event's organizers, Heather Cerone, told him they did not authorize video or audio recording of the event, and that it was on private property because they rented the park pavilion. She then directed people to stand in front of him to prevent him from seeing what was going on, Link reports. Quealy told investigators that two men approached him and told him to leave, then pushed him. Then one of the men pushed Quealy into a wooden fence and punched him in the face with both fists.

The county prosecutor told Link that, though an event held in one of the pavilions may be rented for private functions, other people—including reporters—have the right to be in areas surrounding the pavilions. Private event holders must accept that the pavilion is open-air and that their events may be seen and heard by others.

Traverse City, Michigan
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The alleged assault illustrates continuing anti-news media sentiment, especially among political conservatives (and groups more likely to be so, including anti-mask mandate groups). Grand Traverse County Sheriff Tom Bensley told the Record-Eagle that some people "are not happy with the news outlets," and said this was the second anti-news media incident he's seen recently.

The first incident he's referring to happened in May, when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer visited rural Leelanau County. Sheriff's deputies arrested a man after a local television news crew recorded him trying to destroy a microphone and spitting at the camera, Link reports.

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/3yoBHA4 Michigan reporter punched in the face while covering anti-mask, anti-vaccine rally; sheriff is investigating - Entrepreneur Generations

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