Daily Iowan

Issue date: 9/5/08 Section: Metro

Police cited several student journalists late Thursday night while the reporters were covering the protests surrounding the Republican Convention in St. Paul, Minn.

Among the approximately 500 people police gave citations to after they failed to leave a location that officials decided was an unlawful protest area were former DI reporter Dean Treftz, on assignment for U-Wire, a nationwide college news service, and Madison, Wis. Badger-Herald photographer Jeff Schorfheide. UI student and former DI reporter Matt Nelson, working on a photography project for a class, was also cited.

"We were covering the protesters," said Treftz, 22. "There's no way I could have done what [police] said and covered the protest at the same time. It's effectively saying you can't cover this."

UI journalism Associate Professor Stephen Berry, who also serves as an adviser to the DI, defended Treftz.

"He was not a protester; he was not demonstrating; he was covering the news," Berry said. "His job is to cover the news."

Treftz said he was following a large group on University Avenue that had broken off from the designated route when it appeared someone from the crowd threw something resembling a firework that landed between protesters and police.

"I saw that go in the no-man's land," Treftz said. "Immediately, smoke grenades went off - [police] started using flash-bangs, and everyone started booking."

The march quickly became chaotic, he said. Police were yelling instructions over bullhorns, while using flash-bangs to herd the crowd onto the Marion Street bridge, which crosses Interstate 94.

There, police blocked off both ends of bridge and began giving citations to those stuck on the bridge. Police were unable to estimate the size of the crowd late Thursday.

St. Paul police Sgt. William Palmer said several journalists had been cited for presence at an unlawful assembly, although he was unable to elaborate on the number. The Associate Press reported that two of its journalists were arrested on the bridge.

As of 11:15 p.m. Thursday, 88 people had been processed - 510 people have been processed since the night of Aug. 29, Palmer said.

Palmer said the number of people cited would likely increase.

Schorfheide said he was trying to find a route to the convention center so he could file his photos when he became entangled with the crowd. Soon after, he said, people were doused with pepper spray.

Despite showing his Badger-Herald press credentials, he was not allowed to leave.

"I personally think it's absolutely ridiculous," he said.

While protesters and the three student journalists were waiting on the bridge to be processed, Schorfheide said several other journalists were allowed into the area to continue reporting.

E-mail DI metro editor Danny Valentine at:

daniel-valentine@uiowa.edu

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Correction appended 09/09/08: In the Sept. 5 story "Police detain ex-DI writer," the DI incorrectly reported Dean Treftz's age. He is 22. The DI regrets the error.

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