*The bodyguard of CNN political analyst April Ryan is facing criminal charges after he allegedly forcibly removed a journalist from an event she was speaking at in New Brunswick on August 3.
“This was more than just an assault on me,” tweeted New Brunswick Today editor Charlie Kratovil. “This was an assault on freedom of the press.”
via New York Post:
Kratovil claims he was violently tossed from the New Jersey Parent Summit on Aug. 3 by Ryan’s goon after spending two hours inside filming other guests and speakers without any problems.
Kratovil had been invited to The Heldrich Hotel, where the event was held, by a public relations firm and asked to cover it. Video posted online shows him sitting in the audience as Ryan takes the stage and starts speaking.
Moments later, her bodyguard — Joel Morris, 30, of Illinois — comes into view and is told something by Ryan. He promptly walks over to Kratovil and allegedly attempts to take his video camera.
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After a heated exchange of words and a brief tussle Kratovil is ultimately escorted out of the venue by Morris, with his arm twisted around his back, the journalist says, the report states — scroll up and watch the clip above.
“This is a personal event,” Morris can be heard telling him. “You’re not allowed back in.”
A woman is also heard screaming at Kratovil: “How dare you come in here and interrupt this event like this!”
“I didn’t interrupt,” he fires back.
Kratovil posted a video on Twitter Monday, explaining how cops found “probable cause” to charge Morris with harassment, assault and theft.
“I was there to cover April Ryan’s speech,” Kratovil explained. “Joel Morris stole [my] camera, high-tailed it out of the room. One thing led to another, I ended up being assaulted after retrieving the camera. But now Mr. Morris is going to have to show up on Sept. 12…in Superior Court.”
This was more than just an assault on me.
This was an assault on freedom of the press, and @AprilDRyan should have immediately condemned the use of violence against a journalist. pic.twitter.com/botpX50uN2
— Charlie Kratovil (@Charlie4Change) August 19, 2019
He also read a statement from the NJ Society of Professional Journalists:
“It is never under any circumstances permissible for a person aggrieved at being photographed or videotaped to lay hands on the journalist, or attempt to take away the journalist’s equipment.”
“It is sad we have to say this, and remind people of this — and it’s super sad that we have to remind another journalist of this,” Kratovil said. “We are still waiting for [Ryan] to comment on this unfortunate incident…Maybe now that there’s criminal charges we might hear something from her. I hope sincerely that she does comment and I hope she does condemn this. This is unacceptable…Not in our country, we have freedom of the press here.”
At the time of this post, Ryan had not addressed the incident.
“Her silence is deafening at this point,” Kratovil said, speaking to NJ.com. “It’s been more than two weeks. Anybody who’s a journalist should be condemning this.”
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