AP Hanoi Bureau Chief Arrested, Beaten (VIDEO)

The AP reports:

BANGKOK, Thailand -- An Associated Press reporter in Vietnam was punched, choked and hit over the head with a camera by police who detained him Friday while he covered a Catholic prayer vigil in the communist country.

Ben Stocking, the Hanoi bureau chief for The Associated Press, was released from police custody after about 2 1/2 hours and required four stitches on the back of his head. His camera was confiscated by police.

"They told me I was taking pictures in a place that I was not allowed to be taking pictures. But it was news, and I went in," Stocking said by telephone from Hanoi.

Stocking, 49, was covering a demonstration by Catholic priests and church members at the site of the former Vatican Embassy in Hanoi, which is currently the subject of a land dispute between the church and city authorities.

Editor And Publisher has video of the arrest. Watch below:

Comments

[sedum]

You can't use common sense if you don't have common sense.

I see drunks and ne'er do wells on Cops do this practically weekly and this joker did a marvellous job of emulating them. Maybe a tad too much of the giggley.

[Frenbar]

Has anyone seen what happens to photographers and press here in the United States?

In New York City that guy would have been tasered, pepper sprayed, hog tied, and charged with resisting arrest. Rather then being released in 4 hours, he'd be a guest of the lovely people at Rikers island for days while waiting to see a judge.

[BigBagel]

Yea, New York is a pretty bad place. Bad people too. Thank God he was in Hanoi.

[sedum]

You both have a point up but BigBagel's is on the top of his head.

[DavidMG]

Reminds me of ST Paul, MN - RNC convention.

[LesserOf2Evils]

I posted a video of mass arrests at the RNC which just were released today. For some reason the comment did not go through. Here it is again. Horrible stuff, shameful.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/99433/incredible_documentary_footage_of_mass_arrest_in_st._paul/

[Delaware22]

Outrageous! Didn't see that on any TV or Cable News. This is America?

[Graywolf48]

McCain probably had some of his old boys in Hanoi work the guy over to send AP a message about hacking Palin's email and other transgressions against the McCain organization.

And if you read the report, the incident happened in Hanoi, Vietnam. The news story is being reported out of the Bangkok, Thailand office.

[FarOutFish]

So you think freedom of the Press in endangered here in America? This is a good example of how the press is treated in most of the world. This was not a ‘sacred’ ceremony; it was a demonstration against the government, deserving coverage.

We can consider us lucky we have the first amendment. This can and has happened here but public outrage and legal action by press freedom groups keep it to a minimum. I had my camera seized by police while covering a demonstration in support of the Attica Prison inmates. The station raised holy hell and the cop who did it was punished.

This is a good example of lack of prospective. Governments murder journalists they don’t like in many countries. G. Gordon Liddy asked Richard Nixon permission to kill Columnist Jack Anderson. Nixon refused. In much of the world Anderson would have been pushing up Daises.

[Kenji]

We have a first amendment? Do the "Strict Constructivists" know?

[Mdazes]

They were taking him away peacefully and than he made a move as if he was trying to free the policeman hand off him. In America we call that resisting arrested. He also disobey an order to stop taking pictures. In America these action can lead to beating, tasering and sometime death. Hope he is ok

[FarOutFish]

I can’t believe this balderdash. I covered everything from police corruption to the first and second Liberty City riots In Miami and the Attica riot. There are many things to complain about police, but the reflect our society. Some cops get out of hand but having spent twenty-five years covering news but this charge is bovine scatology.

[bascombe]

what some people hold sacred, others should respect.
he deserved to get a beatdown, which never appeared to happen.
once again, the headlines don't match the story.

[steamboat]

I'm not excusing the Vietnamese by no means. Wrong is wrong.....­..However, yesterday, Chavez in Venezuela kicked human-rights group out of his country. Yet, this blog doesn't say one word......­..........­....DOUBLE STANDARD

[Ramirez]

HuffPo hearts Chavez. Big time.

[DavidMG]

He DESEVES a beatdown?. NO one DESERVES a beatdown you animal.

[fact finder]

What is the difference between Hanoi and Denver.? Give up.? 5,000 miles or so.

[Amennyc]

Same happens in USA all the time.

[LesserOf2Evils]

One of the worst abuses of power by "our" law enforcement people just came out today and is all over the internet. It really should be seen by everyone. The scales have tilted so far towards the corporate powers that be, that this video will not be a newsworthy story for our various propaganda purveyors.

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/99433/incredible_documentary_footage_of_mass_arrest_in_st._paul/

How can this be happening in America?

[NTBoss]

Two points...
1-i used to work for a 3rd world media channel and sometimes saw this 'harmless buddy, could we talk to you for a sec...' arm over shoulder tac-tic, very much a sign there is danger...
2-3rd world also practices 'drawing' of news like manipulate a situation to create news...he shouldn't have aimed the camera so much at the video cam and not take pics too randomly...
p.s. just commenting and respect opinions of others before and after this one...

[geneven]

The sound track was awfully clear -- didn't sound like an "objective" sound track. I'm on the side of the reporter, but I don't like to be fed the news with a soundtrack designed to sell the news.

[bitabingbitabangbitaboom]

Oooooops My Bad not Cambodia..­..........­..........­..........­......Laos

[Meggie]

coming attractions of a country that has been bought up by China with Republican blessings.
is this any different than what happened to both protesters and reporters during the Republican National Convention?

[PhantomAviator]

..

Why didn't they round up the Catholics?

They're they ones telling poeple to believe in Santa and the Invisible Accountant.

.

[bitabingbitabangbitaboom]

Thailand is not a Communist Country

Vietnam
Cambodia
North Korea
Cuba
Chaina

[leewa]

You need to read the article more carefully. This happened in Hanoi. That is stated in the first sentence of the report.

[rch427]

HuffPost's Pick

While I think it's wrong that Ben was arrested, I have three problems with the story as it relates to the video. First, he should be wearing his credentials; that's the first step to avoiding problems. Instead, he looks like any big Western tourist. Did he have credentials with him? Why does he never show them? Mine were _always_ around my neck, with a duplicate in my moneybelt.

Second, he's getting much too close to people's faces. Nothing pisses off the local po-leece like sticking a lens in their face. With that lens (a substantial zoom), he could've stood almost anywhere on the sidelines with a clear shot, and taken his pictures.

Third, at least twice, he visibly refuses to follow the commands given him, turning away from his escorts. It's not like there was something he desperately had to get pictures of before the situation changed; it was a *prayer vigil*, FFS. He should've gone wherever it was they were taking him, cleared it up, and come back to get his pictures. Instead, he broke step with them. Whether or not we think their commands were legitimate, disobeying them was a sure way to get into trouble. I'd bet that this whole problem could've been avoided if Ben had used a little more common sense.