Today, an ABC reporter on a public street was arrested while taking video and pictures of elected public officials.

The story goes like this:

ABC news was working on a story about the funding of the events surrounding the DNC.  Reporter Asa Eslocker was taking video and pictures of senators and lobbyists outside of the Brown Palace Hotel.  He was on the sidewalk of a public street.  He was first informed (falsely perhaps?) that the sidewalk was owned by the hotel and that he had to vacate it.  "The sheriff's officer is seen telling Eslocker the sidewalk is owned by the hotel. Later he is seen pushing Eslocker off the sidewalk into oncoming traffic, forcing him to the other side of the street.(1)"  Soon, a Denver police officer arrived, arrested him, and haulled him off in handcuffs...  Police on the scene refused (legally) to tell ABC lawyers the cause of the arrest.  Later they informed them that the charges were tresspassing, Interferance, and Refusal to obey a lawful order.

ABC is naturally upset.  I'm not sure what to think seeing as how it seems that the hotel may have owned the property and had ordered him off of it.  He seemed to disobey this order, thus tresspassing.  But, it all seems eerily dubious, and I thought the sidewalks in cities were the property of the city and hence, the public.  They are in my town and in the last town I lived in.

Any thoughts?

I couldn't find video and I have a feeling we would only get to see the parts that look to exhonerate the reporter anyway.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Conventions/story?id=5668622

Edit, Thanks NordlichReiter:

http://www.videosift.com/video/ABC-Reporter-Arrested-Taking-Pictures-of-Senators-Donors