“The Park Police came, pointed me out and said, ‘You need to come with me.’ I don’t remember exactly what I said, but I said, ‘I’m a reporter; this is a public meeting.’ ... The details are still nebulous, but the Washington Post recounted yesterday that journalist Pete Tucker was charged with disorderly conduct and unlawful entering and remaining for refusing to put his camera away at the public meeting: 
 
 Tucker said that he was arrested after being directed to stop photographing the meeting of the Taxicab Commission, which was held at Park Police headquarters in Southeast Washington. Tucker has been chronicling the dealings of the taxicab industry on his Web site and WUST-AM radio, including a recent proposal to create a medallion system in the city. A commission staff member, he said, directed an officer to remove Tucker and Epstein, cueing a discussion about why recording the meeting wasn’t allowed. District law requires meetings of governmental bodies to be open to the public, with few exceptions. It does not, however, specifically address whether photographs or recordings are permitted. I’m a reporter!” while being handcuffed, while dozens of taxi drivers attending the meeting leave in protest of his arrest. I can get his phone.” (The woman who was given assurances by the officer that she could have my phone can be seen at the end of the video telling me, “You do not have permission to record this!”) As I tried to leave, I was told by the same officer to “stay put.” I told her I was leaving and attempted to exit the building. The charges upon which Epstein was detained are still nebulous, though likely fall under similar “disorderly conduct” grounds. About 30 taxi drivers walked out in protest, upset that Peter Tucker of thefightback.org was led out of the meeting in handcuffs after commission interim chairman Dena Reed asked that he be removed. Reason TV editor Nick Gillespie acknowleged Epstein’s arrest in a blog post this afternoon and said an attorney was working to secure his release. This post has been updated since it was first published.
– Two journalists were arrested this week in Washington, apparently for recording a public meeting—on city taxis. Pete Tucker, who reports taxi industry news, landed charges for disorderly conduct, unlawful entering, and refusing to stash his camera when asked. Then Reason TV journalist Jim Epstein was arrested after taking video of Tucker’s arrest. Epstein had also come to report on the meeting, but figured Tucker’s arrest was newsworthy, notes Mediaite via the Washington Post. It wasn’t until Epstein had finished filming that he was stopped. A police officer told a meeting attendee that the officer could “get his phone” and told Epstein to “stay put.” When he tried to leave, he was surrounded. He released his video of the event upon his release from jail. No comment yet from law enforcement—but thus far, the story echoes news of the arrest of a woman for filming police from her yard.