Journalist arrested at the CHOP protest tells his story

Earlier this month, a British journalist covering the protests on Capitol Hill was arrested by Seattle police for failing to disperse. Andrew Buncombe was booked into King County Jail, and then later released. He's written about his experience for The Independent, where he's chief U.S. correspondent.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

You were arrested by Seattle Police on July 1. What happened?

Buncombe: I’d gone down to the side of the CHOP. I’d been there about 10 minutes and the police asked me to disperse. I said "I'm a journalist. I have the right to be here. " They said "No, this park is out of bounds." I said, "Look, I have my press badge. Here it is."

He repeated that if I stayed there, even though I had not crossed his police tape, he was going to arrest me. Next thing I know, he's grabbed me, he's dragged me across to his colleagues. I’m handcuffed, I’m shackled, and put in the police van, and driven down to the West Precinct.

And what happened once you were booked down at the station?

When they were trying to book me in, you have to give your name and your address, and you’re put before this counter. I was trying to spell my name for the officer and she couldn't hear it. I spelled it again. I said "Sorry. It's a weird one. I'll spell it for you."

For some reason, she took offense at that point. She said "You need to go back in the cell." Having been waiting about two hours to get booked, I said "Let me spell it again." She said "No, you've been condescending. You need to get back in there.”

At that point, I was grabbed from behind by a male police officer who grabbed my jacket, this prison uniform, yanked really hard into my throat, so hard that it knocked my breath out. He manhandled me and threw me back into the cell. I was sitting there just thinking, what has happened today? This is crazy.

You've been reporting in Seattle on these protests against police violence. I'm wondering what you learned from this experience that might help you better in understanding policing, and the pushes for reform that are happening now.

It was a remarkable insight for me into the system. I'm very much aware that what happened to me -- a white, middle aged, middle class guy with a press badge issued by the State Department—is just a fraction of what happens to people without my privilege, without my perch, without my job, without the backing, people of color, the homeless, people who just don't have my privilege. If this can happen to me, heaven knows what happens to others.

It was an insight. It was shocking. It wasn't the story I set off to get that morning. Some people on social media have accused me of getting arrested deliberately so I'd have a better scoop. That really is not the case. It wasn't a pleasant experience. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I got a remarkable insight, but that wasn't my intention.

Andrew, you were arrested for failure to disperse. We checked with the Seattle City Attorney and a spokesperson there said that they've declined to file charges against you. What have you been told?

Ah, that's very good news to hear. I haven't heard anything from there. We've hired a lawyer who's working with me. We've written to the authorities calling on the charges to be dropped, pointing out that they're not applicable to the circumstances, that I had the right to be there.

*The Independent reported Wednesday morning that no charges were being filed against Buncombe.

You were preparing to be in court, to answer to this charge. What were you planning on saying?

I was going to say on the specifics that this charge did not apply to me, that I was a member of the media, and therefore these charges were erroneously brought. But, I was trying to make a broader point about the vitality and the importance of journalists.

We live in strange times, troubling times, globally. I think. We have the coronavirus. Here in the United States, we have an election coming up. We have Black Lives Matter protests. I feel that the role and the importance of journalism as being central to a civic, informed democracy, has never been more important.

I was hoping to point out that when we go to these stories, we show up to be part of that process, to inform people. We have the job to be there, and journalism is not a crime. I would hope that the court will see that.

KUOW reached out to the Seattle Police Department and asked why Andrew Buncombe was arrested on July 1. An SPD spokesperson said his arrest is being investigated by the Office of Police Accountability. Emails and calls to the OPA were not returned this afternoon.

Listen to the interview by clicking the play button above.