BART police arrest media & student journalists who were demonstrating in the free- speech area.

San Fransico, CA- Protesters attempting to demonstrate in BART’s free-speech areas Thursday evening were quickly thwarted as transit agency police officers surrounded and detained about 30 people within the Powell Street station.

BART officials have previously said they would allow protests and freedom of speech demonstrations as long as they remained outside fare gates in the free speech area.

The arrests were made on grounds of interfering with BART’s ability to “provide safe operation of a railroad,” according to agency Deputy Police Chief Daniel Hartwig.

“We’re doing what BART police told us to do,” one protester said as he was taken away by police. “We’re outside the fare gates; we’re doing nothing illegal.”

Many of those detained were members of the media and student journalists from San Francisco State University and the University of San Francisco.


Link:
http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/2011/09/bart-cops-arrest-dozens-protest-free-speech-area