4:00 pm Nov. 15, 20111
It worked out well enough for the Bloomberg administration from a P.R. perspective that, notwithstanding the efforts of amateur documentarians to record the events of last night, there was relatively little TV-ready footage taken of the Zuccotti Park eviction. That's because City Hall gave no advance notice before the police moved in, and also, in part, because the police department blocked reporters from getting near the scene.
When asked why reporters with press credentials, which are distributed by the New York City Police Department, were denied access to Zuccotti Park, Bloomberg said it was for their own protection.
"It's to prevent a situation from getting worse and to protect members of the press," said Bloomberg.
Two journalists for DNAinfo.com were arrested while covering the raid.
UPDATE: Also arrested today were reporters working for the New York Times, N.P.R., Associated Press, Daily News, and New Zealand television.
ummm no. bloomberg has an out of control police force that he could care less about changing. so the whole keep reporters away for their own 'safety' tidbit is just a facade. and it was a valiant try! i mean what person would deny 'protection' from the government that they never asked for or needed in the first place? what he really means is he didn't want the media recording his black booted thug's behavior in his attempt to restore the state's 'order'.
the media that did attend this event should be ashamed at themselves for going at all.