Gasland director Josh Fox, whose 2010 documentary investigated the potential hazards of natural gas drilling, was arrested by Capitol police after he attempted to film a hearing of the House Science Committee on Wednesday. (Watch here.) Though the hearing was broadcast on the committee’s website, Rep. Andy Harris (MD-R) objected to Fox and his camera crew being there and had them handcuffed and removed — they were later charged with unlawful entry. “This is a public hearing!” Mr. Fox shouted as he was led away, according to several news reports. “I’m being denied my First Amendment rights.”
Fox, who is filming a sequel to Gasland, was later released with a misdemeanor citation and a Feb. 15 court date. In a statement posted on IndieWire, Fox said, “I was arrested today for exercising my First Amendment rights to freedom of the press on Capitol Hill. I was not expecting to be arrested for practicing journalism. … It is my understanding that public speech is allowed to be filmed. Congress should be no exception. No one on Capitol Hill should regard themselves exempt from the Constitution…”
