Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NYPD Arrest Photographer On Assignment For NY Times In The Bronx
By
John Del Signore
Published Aug 6, 2012
Modified Aug 6, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Aug 6, 2012
Modified Aug 6, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
NYPD officers arresting a 15-year-old girl in the Bronx Saturday night weren't really in the mood to have their picture taken, according to the NY Times, which reports that a photographer on assignment for the paper was violently arrested when he refused to stop shooting. The photographer, Robert Stolarik, is a freelancer who has worked regularly with the times for the past decade. He was in the Bronx with two reporters conducting street interviews when a street fight erupted in the Concourse neighborhood. According to the Times:
Mr. Stolarik was taking photographs of the arrest of a teenage girl about 10:30 p.m., when a police officer instructed him to stop doing so. Mr. Stolarik said he identified himself as a journalist for The Times and continued taking pictures. A second officer appeared, grabbed his camera and “slammed” it into his face, he said.
Mr. Stolarik said he asked for the officers’ badge numbers, and the officers then took his cameras and dragged him to the ground; he said that he was kicked in the back and that he received scrapes and bruises to his arms, legs and face. The Police Department said in a statement that officers had been trying to disperse the crowd and had given “numerous lawful orders” for both the crowd and Mr. Stolarik to move back, but that he tried to push forward, “inadvertently” striking an officer in the face with his camera.
Stolarik was arrested—an officer got cut on his hand in the process—and charged with obstructing government administration and resisting arrest. This is the second time in almost six months that Stolarik is in the news because of a clash with the NYPD. In December of last year, Stolarik was shoved by an officer who tried to stop him from photographing the arrests of Occupy Wall Street protesters at the World Financial Center. The incident in question begins at the 2:00 mark:
And in 2004, the Villager reported that he was tackled to the ground attempting to photograph GOP convention protesters near Union Square. “It’s the most uncomfortable I’ve ever been as a journalist and I’ve had a gun to my head in Colombia,” Stolarik said. “All of your rights can be taken away instantly.” Last year, 13 news organizations signed a letter to the NYPD condemning the department's obstruction of the press. During a meeting with media reps, NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly promised to hold a "meeting of all the borough task for commanders" to address press issues. As of February, the NYPD said 1,600 new officers had received training in dealing with the media.
Tagged
bronx
media
media blackout
ny times
nypd
robert stolarik
the bronx
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Man shot by ICE in NYC still has bullet lodged in neck, attorneys say
Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old immigrant from the Dominican Republic, was in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park on Monday.
By
Liam Quigley
Published Oct 12, 2026
NY measles spread prompts 'disaster' emergency. It didn't have to be this way, health commissioner says.
The state health commissioner says the disease outbreak is wholly preventable.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
News
NY measles spread prompts 'disaster' emergency. It didn't have to be this way, health commissioner says.
The state health commissioner says the disease outbreak is wholly preventable.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
NYC wants to move deliveries onto the waterways. It's starting with a 55-year-old boat.
By
Liam Quigley
Inside the luxury Greenpoint high-rise powered by a rumbling generator for over a month
By
David Brand
Mayor Mamdani orders review of NYPD use of force policies
By
Michael Sol Warren
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .