Robert Stolarik and the cop who blocked him

On Monday, a video emerged from the protests over the World Financial Center Plaza, where Occupy Wall Street protesters had yet another clash-in with the police. But perhaps the most interesting thing in the video wasn't the police, or the protesters: it was New York Times' credentialed freelance journalist Robert Stolarik, being pushed down some stairs by an officer, moved back with a baton by another, and barred from taking pictures by a third, who kept jumping to get in his way. And this was after The New York Times, along with several other high-name publications, had sent a letter to Mayor Bloomberg and Ray Kelly regarding their treatment of the press when it came to OWS events.

We spoke to Mr. Stolarik--one of the few reporters who was actually allowed in Zuccotti Park on November 14th, go figure--about how The New York Times reacted to this latest slight on their First Amendment rights, and NYPD's response.

(Video starts at 2:00 mark.)

"I'd rather have the video speak for itself," Mr. Stolarik told us by phone yesterday, when we asked him to describe the events on Monday. Suffice to say, he did not know he was being filmed, but afterward the protester who shot the video of his harassment went up to him and offered his contact information.

"It wasn't until later in the day when I started getting phone calls from friends, saying 'Is that really you?' that I knew he had put it online."

So what about the e-mail that The New York Times' sent to the NYPD, requesting a response for their actions? (This was not, apparently, the op-ed that David Carr wrote called "The Police, the Press, and the Protesters: Did Everyone Get the Memo?")

"Yes, I believe The New York Times' got a response from the NYPD press office," Mr. Stolarik said. "They said they were 'looking into disciplinary measures' for one of the officers. But I don't know which officer...if it was the one who pushed me down the stairs, the one who backed me up with a baton, or the one who blocked all my shots. I kept asking this guy if he knew what he was doing, and he nodded in confirmation and kept doing it."

Later, Mr. Stolarik said, he had his credentials taken away by a higher ranking officer who was "very respectful," and who ran his numbers through. "We talked for a bit, and it was very calm," Mr. Stolarik tells us, who was given back his credentials shortly after. "When we were finished, another officer comes up and escorted me out of the building."

So much for getting one of those awesome NYPD-respected press credentials that we've all been longing for.

Robert Stolarik barred from taking photos on Monday

You didn't think that The Paper of Record was going to take the mistreatment of one of their photographers at Monday's Occupy Wall Street Protest at the World Financial Center Plaza sitting down, did you? Absolutely not:
Once The New York Times confirmed that their own freelance journalist Robert Stolarik was captured on video being pushed down the steps of the atrium by a member of the NYPD and then blocked by another officer with a baton for trying to take pictures of the ensuing arrests, the editors wrote a strongly-worded email to the NYPD. Because the first time they told Ray Kelly and Michael Bloomberg that the harassment of credentialed journos would not be taken lightly, it worked out so well?

While we don't have an exact copy of the memo, NYT's VP and assistant general counsel George Freeman said:

"It seemed pretty clear from the video that the Times freelance photographer was being intentionally blocked by the police officer who was kind of bobbing and weaving to keep him from taking photographs," said Freeman, who expressed concern Tuesday that the commissioner's "message that was sent out, while aimed with good intentions, doesn't seem to have had much effect on the ground."

And while the NYPD's department head has acknowledged relieving the note, there has been no response from Commissioner Kelly or one of his representatives. Because who needs to answer to journalists anymore?

Early Monday morning, Officer Peter J. Figoski, 47, was shot in the face after responding to a robbery in progress in Cyprus Hills, Brooklyn. He was pronounced dead at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center.

Then, hours later, video emerged of police jawing with (and pushing) NY Times photographer Robert Stolarik during an Occupy Wall Street protest inside The World Financial Center Monday morning. News sites, including this one, were quick to scorn the NYPD for seemingly breaking their earlier pledge to let reporters do their jobs.

Police Officer Peter J. Figoski

But no matter how disagreeable the actions of the officers in this video may be, it does not – or should not – detract from the terrible death of a career NYPD cop and loving father of four girls who was killed as he was doing his job.

At 2:15 Monday morning, Officer Figoski and partner Officer Glenn Estrada were responding as backup to calls of a robbery at a basement apartment inside 25 Pine Street.

Lamont Pride, 27, and a fellow burglar – or “thug,” in tabloid parlance – emerged from a dark room inside the apartment and tried to escape. Mr. Pride's accomplice tussled with Officer Estrada in front of the building while Mr. Pride tried to flee as well, running into Office Figoski instead.

With little hesitation, Mr. Pride fired his 9mm Ruger semi-automatic once at Officer Figoski's face.

The bullet struck Officer Figoski below his left eye and exited the back of his head, according to The New York Times.

Mr. Pride then fled on foot and Officer Estrada gave chase, letting the other suspect he had been grappling with escape. Officer Estrada eventually arrested Mr. Pride following a four-block pursuit.

While Officer Figoski was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, two of his four daughters were reportedly flown in by helicopter from their colleges in upstate New York. His other two daughters, both high school students in the West Babylon, Long Island town where the Figoski family lived, were also rushed to the hospital with their mother, Paulette.

Officer Figoski, a 22-year veteran of the force assigned to the 75th Precinct, was pronounced dead five hours after being shot.

He became the first officer to die after being shot in the line of duty since July 9, 2007, when Russel Timoshenko, 23, died from gunshot wounds sustained while conducting a traffic stop in Crown Heights.

He also became the second police officer to be killed in the line of duty since March 13, when Alain Schaberger was pushed over a stoop while making an arrest.

The three men involved in Officer Timoshenko's death were arrested four days after his shooting.

It took cops less than 24 hours to arrest four people wanted in connection with Officer Figoski's slaying, including the suspect who escaped after fighting with Officer Estrada.

As this story will evidence, it's not easy being a good cop, which Officer Figoski clearly was (he received a medal for arresting a person wanted for a livery cab robbery and recovered the gun used in the crime, according to The NY Times).

Despite the increased scrutiny being placed on the Department following a year marked by the Bronx ticket scandals, OWS arrests, and other police misdeeds, one truth is unavoidable:

A good cop's death is not just a loss for the NYPD, but for all of New York City.

drosen@observer.com

Robert Stolarik from NYT shoved by officer

During the Occupy Wall Street arrests at the World Financial Center Plaza this morning, credentialed New York Times freelance photographer Robert Stolarik was prevented from taking photos of the police descending on the Occupy Wall Street protesters. You can even watch it happen in the video! (It's at the two minute mark.)

We're reposting the raw footage of the event as we wait to hear how The New York Times plans to respond to the latest assault on a credentialed journalist, especially coming on the tail-end of the publication's group letter to Mayor Bloomberg and Ray Kelly about the infringement of journalist's First Amendment rights during Occupy Wall Street coverage. (Not to mention Commissioner Kelly's own chastising of officers preventing coverage.)

One officer appears to have shoved Mr. Stolarik down the steps, while another pushed him back with his baton.