Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson used riot police to intimidate, assault and arrest journalists early Wednesday morning after several thrown bottles ignited unrest in the streets of Ferguson, Mo.
Despite pandering to the public about his handling of reporters during a press conference early Tuesday morning, Johnson’s true intentions emerged yet again as journalists were specifically targeted.
Only moments before the situation deteriorated, Infowars reporter Joe Biggs attempted to alert an officer to a stash of bottles hidden under a metal bin, seemingly in vane.
After bottles on scene were thrown at police, officers began singling out journalists for arrest while one cop with an M4 rifle threatened to “f***ing kill” others.
“I witnessed three journalists get thrown to the ground by police officers and were punched, grabbed, rangled, hogtied up and carried out of there…” Infowars reporter Joe Biggs explained. “The police are against the media because they know the truth will get out and they do not want that to happen.”
Infowars cameraman Marcos Morales spotted Captain Johnson surveying the scene and immediately began demanding to know why journalists were being targeted.
“What do you think about this captain? They’re arresting journalists,” Morales said as Johnson began scurrying from the camera. “Now you’re arresting journalists!”
Johnson responded to being exposed by attempting to sick several officers on Morales, repeatedly saying, “You’re next.”
At the same moment, Infowars journalist Kit Daniels was only feet away confronting a unknown provocateur caught throwing bricks at police. Peaceful protesters surrounded the man, who promised he hadn’t been “hired by police,” and forced him out of the area as law enforcement ignored the incident.
Riot police on scene have only continued to escalate the situation by arresting journalists and peaceful protesters while a small group of provocateurs are ignored.
In just the last week, more than a dozen journalists have been arrested while attempting to capture police abuses on the ground.
