This year, more journalists were arrested than in all of the past three years combined.

Several expected that the number of journalists arrested in 2020 would return to normal levels in 2021, but instead, the number of journalists arrested this year represents nearly the same number as those arrested in 2017, 2018 and 2019 combined.

On Jan. 5, 2021, the U.S Press Freedom Tracker documented its first arrest of the year: Journalist Sean Bascom was arrested for trespassing and obstructing a peace officer while documenting protests against police brutality in Portland, Oregon. The independent photojournalist was wearing a helmet with "PRESS" on it when he was arrested and identified himself as such to the arresting officers.

A group of protestors flooded the US Capitol the next day, January 6, in an attempt to stop the Congressional certification of the election results. Three journalists were arrested covering the protests in Washington, D.C.

By the end of the first week of 2021, a total of four journalists had been arrested or detained while covering protests across the United States. In the last month of 2021, the Tracker has documented more than one journalist per week being arrested or detained or a total of 56 journalists. Nearly 86% of those arrests or detentions took place during protests.

* This article contained information that was sourced from the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker.