DEKALB COUNTY, GA — Charges have been dismissed against a Hispanic journalist who was arrested during a protest in metro Atlanta on June 14.
Mario Guevara is a well-known metro Atlanta reporter who covers immigration enforcement and immigrant communities.
Guevara was livestreaming the Chamblee Tucker Road demonstration in Spanish and wearing a helmet and a press vest when tensions escalated between protesters and police. In the video, Guevara can be heard identifying himself as a journalist before being taken to the ground and detained by officers.
Guevara was later charged with obstruction of law enforcement, walking improperly in a roadway, and unlawful assembly. A judge granted him bond, however, before he was be released, ICE placed a 48-hour hold, according to his attorney, Giovanni Diaz.
“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,” said Solicitor Coleman Stribling.
DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson recently announced that she is conducting a “full and transparent review of all law enforcement actions taken.”
Guevara’s lawyer Giovanni Diaz says Guevara is not a legal permanent resident, but he does have authorization to live and work in the U.S.