arrest first, ask for professional credentials later

Award winning photo journalist Moises Saman was arrested for no apparent reason. It looks as if the NYPD is incapable of stopping a person and requesting professional creditials before hauling them to the pen. Maybe the officer just didn't have time to read the The NYPD Patrol Guide, code 116-53:

Photographers will have maximum access to demonstrators and incidents in New York City during the Republican National Convention vowed Paul Browne, Deputy Commissioner for Public Information for the NYPD. He promised media representatives at the August 12 joint meeting of the National Press Photographers and New York Press Photographers that his office will be available 24 hours a day to intercede with police and photographers to maintain freedom of the press.

I used to be a live driver for FOX (I know, I know) and there was always a 'you have your job, and I have my job too, so let's just give each other room' code that went with journalsim. It's a shame to see that code set aside for the RNC. Amazingly, the only media interested in this was local outlets. If a journalist was arrested by another country, there would definitely be an outcry.

Update 4:30 p.m.: here are pics of the arrest.