Members of the US Air Force were provided a new guidance last month, preventing them from using force against unruly journalists.
The rules, contained in an updated press guide released by the Secretary of the Air Force, detail how personnel should handle reporters who are photographing classified information and restricted areas.
“Do not use force if media representatives refuse to cooperate,” the memo states, ordering members to first “explain” to photographers why pictures are not authorized. Should journalists refuse to comply, the guidelines instruct personnel to rely on “civilian law enforcement authorities to stop further photography of the exposed classified information to collect all materials with that coverage.”
The material was made public on Monday by investigative journalist Steven Aftergood with the Federal of American Scientists.
During high profile protests in recent years, from Occupy Wall Street to Black Lives Matter demonstrations, members of the media have complained of being unjustly attacked and detained by police. With these latest press guidelines, it appears the Air Force is hoping to avoid getting involved in similar controversies—at least, directly.
Even if no police are present at the scene, members of the Air Force are still prohibited from using force to seize the material or detain reporters, the guidelines also note. Instead, a senior Air Force official on the scene must contact the journalist’s news director to “explain the situation” and “request the return of media coverage,” while explaining that failure to cooperate could violate federal law.
The guidance, which updated media relations rules last revised in 2010, provides general instructions to Air Force public affairs officials on how to interact with the media. The rules include procedures for handling classified information and requests for interviews with detainees.
In some cases, the memo notes, access to classified information may be granted if a reporter “agrees to a security and policy review” of the story they’re producing.
“If the reporter does not agree, then access to sensitive information may be denied,” the document states.
When it comes to press interviews with Air Force detainees, the rules stipulate that access can be granted if it “serves a legitimate public interest or is in the best interest of the military.”
