PINAC’s newest reporter, Cassandra Fairbanks, was arrested today covering the anti-police brutality protests in St. Louis, documenting her own arrest on the live streaming app Periscope.
Fairbanks was on Interstate 70 video recording dozens of protesters who were shutting down traffic in both directions, [**sending out videos and photos on Twitter**](https://twitter.com/CassandraRules), when Missouri state troopers moved in and ordered everybody to disperse.
When they began to comply with their orders by dispersing, police began arresting people.
However, word of her arrest quickly spread via Twitter and she was released after police spoke to both her editor at Sputnik News, whom she also writes for, and PINAC’s Felipe Hemming, who confirmed she was a member of the press.
Also arrested and released was Fusion’s Tim Pool and live streamer Rebelutionary Z. Other reporters were also arrested but their status is not clear at this time.
In a brief telephone interview, Fairbanks said the arresting officer ripped the phone out of her hands before handcuffing her, then placed it on top of a patrol car where it continued recording.
But then she asked a female officer to help her, who retrieved the phone and dropped it in her purse; an officer whom she described as “surprisingly nice.”
The others arrested were going to be transported to the police academy where they were to be cited and released for criminal mischief.
Prior to her arrest, Fairbanks videos were being used by the local Fox affiliate, including a video of a car forcing its way through a wall of protesters who were linked by arms.
Below are videos and a photo she posted before her arrest as well as after her arrest. The final video below, which is on Youtube, is of her arrest, which can also be [**viewed here**](https://www.periscope.tv/w/aJkiwDI4OTU4Mjd8NTg0NjI3NTKADfZYCBOd2zCmNo-6_5oda59-E6myWPzxE14lH5brHg==) on Periscope, which she never managed to title and tweet.
https://twitter.com/CassandraRules/status/630891436968292352
> Car just plowed through protesters [**#Ferguson**](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ferguson?src=hash) [**pic.twitter.com/USOArYIGVn**](http://t.co/USOArYIGVn)
> — Cassandra Fairbanks (@CassandraRules) [**August 10, 2015**](https://twitter.com/CassandraRules/status/630873997735911424)
https://twitter.com/CassandraRules/status/630868312423968768
