Gary Gaynor is charged with third-degree criminal trespassing at UA.
SHELLA CALAMBA
Tucson Citizen
March 6, 2003
Tucson Citizen photographer Gary Gaynor was arrested yesterday while
covering an anti-war protest at the University of Arizona.
Students also gathered to criticize the school's plans to raise tuition and
cut major programs.
When they were prevented from delivering their demands to President Peter
Likins, three students and one university employee chained themselves to a
railing in the lobby of the administration building.
UA police arrested the four, as well as Gaynor, who was photographing the
protesters.
"I was photographing at the doorway as they began moving the protesters out
the door," Gaynor, 54, said. "They just told me it's my turn to leave."
After he told an officer he is with the Citizen, the officer asked to see
an identification card. But police still insisted that he leave.
Gaynor said he continued working without saying anything further to the
officer.
"I wanted to stand there, and they tried to push me in one direction," he
said. "Another guy came over and grabbed the camera," ultimately breaking it.
Other officers subdued and handcuffed Gaynor, he said.
"I was pretty shocked that they would do that to a reporter," said Roberto
de Roock, spokesman for the Student Taskforce for Democracy. "They really
manhandled him."
Gaynor was charged with third-degree criminal trespassing, which is a
misdemeanor, said Sharon Kha, a UA spokeswoman.
Police at the scene declined to comment on what took place at the protest.
A call to the UA Police Department was not returned.
"He was on assignment, doing his job as a journalist when he was arrested,"
said Michael Chihak, publisher and editor of the Citizen.
At some point, he said, there will be plans to address First Amendment
issues surrounding the incident.
"Our first and foremost consideration here is Gary's legal situation,"
Chihak said. "We will support him in the legal contesting of the charge
against him."
Gaynor said he was handcuffed and detained in the building for more than an
hour with the four chained protesters.
Police later unlocked the right side of his handcuffs but had to use a
cutter to release his left hand, leaving it bruised, Gaynor said.
Gaynor said other reporters and photographers were covering the protest
inside the building when he was approached by police.
Gaynor has worked for the Citizen for 34 years
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/local/3_6_03protest_side2.html
