Search Of Marin Journalist Assailed: Report

SAUSALITO, CA — Civil rights lawyers are blasting a judge for approving a search of material they say is constitutionally protected in connection with last month’s arrest of a Marin journalist, The Pacific Sun reports.

Marin County Superior Court Judge Mark Talamantes on Dec. 9 approved a search warrant for Jeremy Portje’s property, the report said.

Portje was arrested Nov. 30 on suspicion of obstructing an executive officer, battery on a police officer with injury and batter on a police officer, the report said.

His arrest, first reported by The Sun, triggered a demonstration in front of the Sausalito Police Department.

Portje was at Marinship Park homeless encampment on the evening of Nov. 30 filming for a documentary about homelessness when an altercation with three police officers with whom he has a history precipitated his arrest, according to the report.

“It is unbelievable to me that the police could seek a warrant and be able to get one in a circumstance like this when it’s clearly barred under California law,” David Snyder, executive director of the First Amendment Coalition, told The Sun.

“Even more troubling is they sought the warrant knowing that Mr. Portje is a journalist and having received our letter that makes crystal clear search warrants are not allowed in this situation.”

The circumstances surrounding Portje’s arrest are in dispute.

Police Sgt. Thomas Georges, who was among the three arresting officers, was injured during the altercation, according to multiple reports.

Social justice advocates who witnessed the arrest painted a disturbing picture of police behavior during the arrest, according to the IJ report.

Portje had made a public records request for body camera footage from the three officers who arrested him in connection with the arrest of two homeless people arrested for camping in a downtown park last month, The Sun previously reported.

In a widely viewed video showing part of the arrest Portje is seen with his knees on the ground being restrained by two officers. He is heard asking the officers "What am I being charged with?" and onlookers are heard in the background chanting "let him go" and "don't hurt him."

"Why are they doing this? Because I asked them questions?" Portje is heard in the video asking the crowd rhetorically.

An eyewitness who identified themself as Luis told The Sun he saw an officer follow Portje, stand in front of the video journalist's camera, and then an officer without provocation proceeded to grab Portje's camera and inadvertently struck themself with it.

"The officer reacted to the camera hitting him," Luis told The Sun. "He started punching Jeremy."

Portje currently serves on Novato's Police Advisory and Review Board, The IJ reports.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Portje owns and runs Mental Media, in independent visual-storytelling company.

The veteran journalist’s work has appeared in major outlets including The Associated Press.

Read more in The Pacific Sun