Committee to Protect Journalists Advises Inauguration Reporters to Not Wear Press Lanyards

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a non-profit that promotes press freedom and journalists’ rights, issued a safety advisory for covering the Jan. 20 inauguration, included in which was a recommendation for journalists to not wear lanyards around their necks. “It is recommended that journalists avoid wearing lanyards around their neck for safety reasons,” the advisory reads. It proceeded to refer to a video of Associated Press photographer John Minchillo being attacked in Washington on Jan. 6. The video shows Minchillo being pushed around and hit by some protesters. Some had mistaken him for being part of Antifa because he was dressed in black with a gas mask on. Antifa adherents commonly use this “black bloc” tactic to hide their identities. The crowd let him go after he showed them his press pass, which was on a lanyard around his neck. “Be aware that straps that release when pulled could lead to media credentials …