Police beat journalist during protest

[theLebanon]

Police beat journalist during protest

Amanda Lee Myers
April 27, 2015, 10:57 am

A photo editor for a US newspaper says he was beaten by police at a protest over the death of Freddie Gray.

JM Giordano, who works at the City Paper, says Baltimore police "swarmed over" him and hit him repeatedly.

Two men are on the ground after being struck after a march to City Hall for Freddie Gray. Photo: AP

A video posted to the newspaper's website shows at least two police officers in riot gear hitting and kicking Giordano as the person filming screams, "He's a photographer! He's press!"

The 41-year-old Giordano says his head hit the ground during the beating, which he says only stopped when someone pulled him out of the fray.

Sait Serkan Gurbuz, a photographer with Reuters, says police detained him as he shot pictures of the scuffle.

Reuters says Gurbuz was cited with failure to obey orders.

A Baltimore police spokesman hasn't immediately commented.

Freddie Gray, 25, died April 19 just days after an encounter with Baltimore police left him with grave spinal injuries.