Justice Department Asked to Review Treatment of Press in #Ferguson

The PEN American Center is calling on the U.S. Justice Department to investigate how the press was treated by law enforcement covering the protests in Ferguson, Mo., following the death of Michael Brown, the St. Louis Business Journal reports. For example, police held reporters in areas away from the events they were covering and they flashed lights to hinder photographers. PEN American Center is asking the Justice Department "to issue new guidelines for U.S. police departments on respect for media freedoms, including the rights accorded to citizen journalists; take disciplinary measures against any officer responsible for violations; and establish a 'clear policy for the policing of public protests that emphasizes respect for the rights to assembly and freedom of the press,'" St. Business Journal further reports.