If a member of the Press is doing something that would get him arrested if a member of the public, then he should be arrested too.
The Press gets no right to break laws that apply to the rest of us because they're members of the Press.
Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom ... of the press
So what is that freedom? The absolute right to print anything they choose. Nothing more, nothing less. (Subject, of course, to after the fact suit for libel and such.)
Nowhere does it say that they get the right to break laws if it helps them get a story. Nowhere does it say a curfew that applies to everyone else can be ignored if I'm a reporter.
In today's world, the distinction is meaningless anyway. In 10 minutes I can have a blog up and running. Hey, look at me! I'm a member of the press and don't have to obey the laws the rest of you idiots do!
BTW, nowhere did I say the cops were right if they ordered the press to stop recording their actions. But then they wouldn't be right to do the same if those recording were NOT members of the press.
However, if the cops are clearing an area for legitimate public safety reasons, the press has to leave, too.
Sorry. All I see are thugs assaulting people who haven’t done anything wrong.
Case in point from today’s news:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=867_1409254807