The journalist was released on Wednesday evening but faces multiple charges.
Officers from the East Palestine Police Department in Ohio arrested NewsNation reporter Evan Lambert during a news conference about cleanup efforts following a train derailment in a small Ohio village.
Columbiana County Jail officials confirmed Lambert was released at 10:20 p.m. Wednesday night and faces charges of criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct. The Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to ABC News that they also assisted in the reporter’s arrest.
According to NewsNation, Lambert was reporting live as Ohio Governor Mike DeWine spoke at the conference, prompting law enforcement to ask Lambert to be quiet. NewsNation said Lambert wrapped up the segment before being asked to leave. Several videos of the incident show officers arresting and then forcibly removing Lambert.
“I was arrested because I was doing a live report on what people need to know,” Lambert said, exiting the building in handcuffs.
DeWine didn’t see the incident due to a row of cameras but heard a “disagreement”, according to Dan Tierney, DeWine’s publicist.
“Governor DeWine did not ask the reporter to stop his live broadcast, nor did he know the request was being made,” Tierney wrote.
DeWine defended Lambert’s right to report when asked about the confrontation at the press conference.
“All I can say is that this person had the right to report; they should have been allowed to report,” DeWine said. “If they were in any way prevented from reporting, that’s definitely wrong, and it’s not something I approve of; in fact, I vehemently disapprove of.”
DeWine reiterated at the press conference that he did not authorize the arrest, inviting Lambert to interview him upon his release.
“I’m certainly very, very sorry that this happened; I don’t know all the facts, but he or she, whoever was arrested, had every right to report and do what they do every day. “, did he declare.
Earlier reports said Lambert would be in custody overnight, although officials confirmed he had been released.
“No journalist expects to be arrested when you’re doing your job, and I think it’s really important that that doesn’t happen in our country,” Lambert told NewsNation after his release.
Lambert was in eastern Palestine to cover the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train that caused the evacuation of almost half of the city of 5,000 people. Local and state officials announced Wednesday that residents could return to their homes after air quality samples showed safe levels of contaminants in the area.
ABC News’ Victoria Arancio contributed to this report.
