As Twitchy reported earlier, journalists in particular are giving very serious thought to the violent smack-down of a TIME photographer by a Secret Service agent providing security at a Donald Trump rally Monday, with some predicting that “real violence” at a Trump event is inevitable before this campaign cycle is finished.
After seeing the video, Nicholas Dawes of the Hindustan Times has some advice and questions for his American journalist friends.
Why do US colleagues agree to stay penned at campaign events?
— Nicholas Dawes (@NicDawes) March 1, 2016
American journ. friends, when one of you is body-slammed by the secret service for trying to leave the pen maybe its time to refuse the pen?
— Nicholas Dawes (@NicDawes) March 1, 2016
I'd never heard of the press pen until I encountered high-level USG visits. I think many non-US journos would find it equally bizarre
— Nicholas Dawes (@NicDawes) March 1, 2016
For a distinguished and well-traveled journalist, Dawes had never heard of the press pen, so we’re assuming he missed this proud moment among his American journalist friends, on Independence Day, no less.
So many people trying to get close to Hillary her aides are using a rope to keep press at distance pic.twitter.com/PkIl0Pez98
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) July 4, 2015
Clinton advance aides create a rope line for the press, moving with the candidate pic.twitter.com/9S7CpVt7x4
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 4, 2015
Why would the American press agree to be led around by young girls penning them in with some clothesline?
.@HillaryClinton staffers used rope to keep media steps ahead & allow voters better view of her. Trip hazard. pic.twitter.com/4rBCewFtT2
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) July 4, 2015
So what was the question again?
@NicDawes if your shop decides you'd rather not have the story than accept the rules, that's fine for your shop. But…
— Robert MacMillan (@bobbymacReports) March 1, 2016
@bobbymacReports I don't think the secret service should be enforcing those terms, for starters.
— Nicholas Dawes (@NicDawes) March 1, 2016
Doesn’t any of this news travel overseas? In case no one abroad has heard, Clinton has graduated from the rope to an extra level of Secret Service protection, as Fox News’ Ed Henry found out last month.
Agents from @SecretService trying to block reporters from asking @HillaryClinton questions in Nevada — is that really their job? @DHSgov
— Ed Henry (@edhenry) January 6, 2016
