Getty Images photographer Scott Olson comments on his recent arrest covering the troubles in Ferguson.
19 August: ‘Last night I was arrested in Ferguson, Missouri, for being a member of the press in a public place and mingling with the public, rather than in a pen where officials had hoped to confine the press. I strongly believe in the first amendment and the freedom of the press and chose to question the officer ordering me into the pen.
I would like to thank my friends and colleagues who have reached out offering support after the arrest. I would like to touch bases with everyone personally, but I was overwhelmed (really overwhelmed) by the number of emails and text messages I had on my phone when I was released.
Fortunately, because of the way officials have been handling this crisis, we knew this was a possibility and Getty Images had a plan in place to handle it. I am happy to report that the plan worked flawlessly and I was released after a few hours—in time to return to Ferguson and capture some more images—not from inside a media pen but out with the public.’