(UnitedVoice.com) – Roughly 50 cars derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, on February 3, near the Pennsylvania state line. The train was carrying toxic chemicals that caused a mass evacuation in the city. Days after the derailment, a reporter was arrested at a press conference held by the Buckeye State’s governor.
On February 8, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) held a news conference inside the East Palestine Elementary School gymnasium. During the event, NewsNation reporter Evan Lambert was doing a live news report when he was approached by state troopers. A video of the incident released by the Ohio State Highway Patrol shows troopers and Ohio National Guard Adjutant General John Harris waiting for the reporter to finish speaking, then they said something to him.
Harris is seen in the video, which has no sound at the beginning, pointing and talking to the reporter and camera person. The general and Lambert get into an argument. A state trooper restrains the general. Lambert is heard telling the troopers and other officials that he is allowed to be at the press conference. The reporter is then kicked out of the gym. A law enforcement officer tells the journalist that he will be arrested, and the argument continues. Then law enforcement takes him to the ground and handcuffs him.
Law enforcement took Lambert into custody. He was charged with criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct. The journalist spent about five hours in the Columbiana County Jail.
WKYC News reported DeWine responded to the arrest, saying he believes journalists have a right to report during his press conferences. He went on to say it was “wrong” if any reporter was stopped from doing that. Further, he explained the arrest was not something he “authorized” or wanted to see happen.
The East Palestine Police Department called Lambert’s reporting “loud” and said he was “disrupting the press conference,” according to WTAE.
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