Black Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Reporter Barred From Covering George Floyd Protests Takes Buyout
“How can I work for someone who doesn’t love me,” Michael Santiago said Sunday
Ross A. Lincoln | June 14, 2020 @ 5:42 PM
Last Updated: June 14, 2020 @ 6:25 PM
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Michael Santiago, one of two Black Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporters who said they were barred from covering the George Floyd protests, has accepted a buyout from the paper and is quitting.
“Yesterday I accepted a buyout at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that was offered to employees in May. It was not an easy decision but as I said on Thursday night at the PBMF panel, how can I work for someone who doesn’t love me,” Santiago said in a statement posted on Twitter Sunday. Santiago said he does not know when his last day will be, only that “my time here will be over soon.”
He and fellow reporter Alexis Johnson said they were prohibited from covering protests in the city due to public statements they made. First Johnson, who on May 31 tweeted a mild joke comparing outrage over looting associated with some protests to the muted reactions that accompanies litter and destruction associated with sports fandom. She said was subsequently pulled from protest coverage and accused of “bias” by the paper’s management. After filing a complaint with the NewsGuild, the union representing Post-Gazette reporters, she went public on June 5, after which Santiago publicly supported her.
For that action, Santiago said he was also pulled from protest coverage. And according to the union, the paper punished two other reporters who expressed support for Johnson by deleting protest-related stories that had already been published, and then in response to complaints about that move, telling staff that the paper would simply cease all protest coverage. After reversing this decision, the paper re-published the articles, heavily edited and without bylines or acknowledgement, the union said.
This sparked a newsroom revolt inside the Post-Gazette that lasted throughout the next week. In response, executive editor Keith Burris published an open letter in which he called those accusations “an outrageous lie” and “defamation.” This did little to quell the matter and by Friday, June 12, NewsGuild called for Post-Gazette top editors Keith Burris and Karen Kane to resign for displaying what it called “Outrageous Insensitivity.”
“Yesterday I accepted a buyout at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that was offered to employees in May. It was not an easy decision but as I said on Thursday night at the PBMF panel, how can I work for someone who doesn’t love me. Pittsburgh has been an amazing city and I gained so much experience as a journalist working alongside my colleagues and grew as human being [sic] with the work I was able to do within the community. My fellow NewsGuild members are amazing dedicated journalist [sic] who I will truly miss working with. I hate to be departing under these circumstances but it is necessary. Thank you for everyone’s support. At this moment, I do not have a final day but my time here will be over soon. Even though I will no longer be here, I will continue to fight alongside my NewsGuild colleagues.”
George Floyd Remembered at Minneapolis Memorial Service (Photos)
A memorial service was held for George Floyd in Minneapolis Thursday, ten days after a police officer killed him by using his knee to choke him for more than 8 minutes, while other officers standing by mocked his pleas for help.
All four former Minneapolis police officers involved in the fatal arrest have been charged. Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, faces second-degree murder charges. The three other officers are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
Thursday's memorial at North Central University is the first of several; services will also be held in North Carolina and Texas.
Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy in front of attendees which included the Floyd family, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Reps. Ilhan Omar, Sheila Jackson-Lee and Ayana Pressley, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Martin Luther King III and more.
Photo credit: Getty Images
George Floyd's hearse arrives at North Central University for the first of several memorial services. In the upper right, Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo and Sgt. Dave O'Connor kneel as the hearse drives by.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Floyd's memorial service was streamed on television and online.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Reverend Al Sharpton arrives at George Floyd's memorial service. Sharpton and other mourners wore face masks given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The NAN logo stands for the National Action Network the civil rights organization Sharpton founded in 1991.
Photo credit: Getty Images
George Floyd's casket is prepared before the service. The image in the background is the mural drawn near the sidewalk where he was killed. NAN banners flank the artwork.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Floyd's family stand in solidarity during the service.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Shareeduh Tate, cousin of George Floyd, is held by Brandon Floyd, nephew of George Floyd, as those gathered paused silently for eight minutes and 46 seconds -- the length of time Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Actress Tiffany Haddish weeps during the moment of silence. Other celebrities in attendance were T.I., Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, Kevin Hart and Marsai Martin.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Brandon and Philonise Floyd, brothers of George Floyd embrace while listening to Shareeduh Tate speak. The Floyds wore pins emblazoned with "I Can't Breathe" -- their brother's final words.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Pallbearers wheel out George Floyd's golden casket following the service.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Media and on-lookers watch as George Floyd's casket is loaded into a hearse. His body will be transported to his hometown of Raeford, North Carolina, where a private family service will be held on Saturday. A public service will be held Monday in Houston, Texas -- two weeks after his death.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy for Floyd, who was killed in police custody on Memorial Day
A memorial service was held for George Floyd in Minneapolis Thursday, ten days after a police officer killed him by using his knee to choke him for more than 8 minutes, while other officers standing by mocked his pleas for help.
All four former Minneapolis police officers involved in the fatal arrest have been charged. Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, faces second-degree murder charges. The three other officers are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
Thursday's memorial at North Central University is the first of several; services will also be held in North Carolina and Texas.
Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy in front of attendees which included the Floyd family, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Reps. Ilhan Omar, Sheila Jackson-Lee and Ayana Pressley, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Martin Luther King III and more.