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Michael Brown shooting: Getty photographer among arrested journalists

Scott Olson had apparently "not moved out of the way fast enough" - see his incredible Ferguson images below

Natasha Culzac
Tuesday 19 August 2014 16:13 BST
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Police in protective clothing advance through a cloud of tear gas toward demonstrators on 17 August
Police in protective clothing advance through a cloud of tear gas toward demonstrators on 17 August (Getty/Scott Olson)

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A Getty photographer has become one of the latest journalists to be arrested during the protester-police standoff in Ferguson, Missouri.

Scott Olson was led into a police vehicle yesterday afternoon with his cameras still strapped around his neck and was flanked by two officers, yet still smiling.

Director of Photography at Getty Images, Pancho Bernasconi, confirmed the arrest in a statement and said that the picture agency was “firmly behind” its colleague and that they “strongly object to his arrest”.

Mr Bernasconi added in a later statement: “Scott told me tonight, ‘I want to be able to do my job as a member of the media and not be arrested for just doing my job.’

See Mr Olson's Ferguson pictures below:

“Getty Images condemns Scott’s arrest and is committed to ensuring that he and our other photographer colleagues are able to report this important story.”

According to KSDK.com, a video shared on social media showed Mr Olson’s arrest in which he said: “I'm being arrested because they said the media is required to be in a certain area.”

Another journalist also tweeted that Mr Olson had been arrested for “not getting out of the way fast enough when ordered”.

Mr Olson captured a number of iconic and disturbing images from the unrest in Ferguson, including a heavy militarised presence, protesters with their hands above their heads, and a woman being doused in water after suffering the effects of tear gas.

His arrest follows that of a journalist from Sports Illustrated, Robert Klemko, who managed to plead his way out of detention, as well as Telegraph correspondent Rob Crilly.

A VICE journalist has also posted a video to YouTube in which a police officer appears to rip off his press badge.

An image of photographer Mr Olson by the Chicago Sun-Times appears to show him back on the ground late last night, hours after his arrest.

The Ferguson trouble began earlier this month when unarmed teenager Michael Brown was shot dead by a police officer on 9 August.

Residents of Ferguson, who are predominately black, began protesting the lack of transparency in the case and the heavy police presence at demonstrations.

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