Charges dropped against journalist after arrest at anti-ICE protest in US

ANKARA

Authorities have dropped all charges against Mario Guevara, a prominent Spanish-language journalist who was arrested while reporting on an anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protest in DeKalb County in the US state of Georgia earlier this month, according to US local media on Wednesday.

Guevara was detained on June 14 as he recorded the protest near the intersection of Chamblee-Tucker Road and Northcrest Road in Doraville.

He had initially been charged with unlawful assembly, obstructing a police officer, and being a pedestrian on the roadway.

DeKalb County Solicitor-General Donna Coleman-Stribling announced Wednesday that her office would not move forward with the case, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.

"After carefully reviewing the evidence, including video evidence surrounding his arrest, I have determined that while there was probable cause to support the initial arrest, the evidence is insufficient to sustain a prosecution beyond a reasonable doubt," FOX 5 Atlanta quoted Coleman-Stribling as saying in a statement.

Coleman-Stribling pointed out that Guevara had received conflicting instructions from various law enforcement officers present at the scene.

"At the time of his arrest, the video evidence shows Mr. Guevara generally in compliance and does not demonstrate the intent to disregard law enforcement directives," she said.

"Given the lack of a clear criminal intent by Mr. Guevara to ignore any lawful commands, the case is dismissed as charged," she added.

Guevara’s legal team welcomed the dismissal, but the 47-year-old journalist still faces separate traffic-related charges—including distracted driving, reckless driving, and disobeying a traffic signal—in neighboring Gwinnett County, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.

He is also scheduled to attend a bond hearing next week at Stewart Immigration Court.