Milkwaukee cops arrest photojournalist with local paper... to stop her from covering OWS arrests?

First we have the cops' completely non-credible story, from the Milkwaukee Journal Sentinel:

In a statement hours later, Milwaukee Police Spokeswoman Anne Schwartz said those arrested off-campus ignored repeated commands to clear the street and were arrested near the intersection of N. Oakland Ave. and E. Linnwood Ave.

"I can tell you that no one at MPD had any idea (Wentz-Graff) was a journalist until she arrived here at the police station," Schwartz said. "She never identified herself as a journalist to officers."

Yes, I'm sure a reporter with the big local paper wouldn't tell the cops that she's a reporter with the big local paper. Uh huh. In fact, she was also wearing her press credentials from the very well known local paper:

Journal Sentinel Editor Martin Kaiser disputed the police account as it pertained to photojournalist Wentz-Graff's arrest.

"At no time did Kristyna Wentz-Graff ignore any commands by any officer," Kaiser said. "She came upon the scene to do her job as a photojournalist. She was clearly not part of the protest. She was wearing her Journal Sentinel photo press credential. She was carrying photography equipment while taking photographs of police making arrests when she was grabbed by a police officer and handcuffed. Her arrest was completely uncalled for and violates the First Amendment. No reason for her arrest has been provided."

The Milwaukee police knew exactly who she was and they decided to shut down the First Amendment like a bunch of Russian or Chinese secret police. That's what happened.  There's a larger story here about how the American police, nationwide, have really tarnished their own image throughout these protests.

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Video shows Milwaukee cops lied: Knew they were arresting reporter covering Occupy Milwaukee

New video shows that the Milwaukee police lied when they said they weren't informed, and had no idea, that they were arresting a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel photojournalist yesterday while she was in the midst of covering the Occupy Milwaukee (#OccupyMKE) protests.

The video shows the photojournalist's employee ID tags dangling from her neck as the police arrest her, but far more damning is at 0:50 seconds into the video when the crowd yells "she's a journalist," and one of the arresting officers responds "it doesn't matter."

But look what Milwaukee police spokeswoman Anne Schwartz said last night:

In a statement hours later, Milwaukee Police Spokeswoman Anne Schwartz said those arrested off-campus ignored repeated commands to clear the street and were arrested near the intersection of N. Oakland Ave. and E. Linnwood Ave.

"I can tell you that no one at MPD had any idea (Wentz-Graff) was a journalist until she arrived here at the police station," Schwartz said. "She never identified herself as a journalist to officers."

And that's a lie.  They had an idea.  They didn't care.  And then they lied about it to the public and to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

So either Anne Schwartz is a liar, or the cops on the scene lied to Anne Schwartz.  Either way, the Milwaukee police department lied.

The bottom line is that the police knew this woman was a journalist with the local Milwaukee paper, they arrested her anyway for taking photos, and they intentionally lied to the public yesterday when they said they didn't realize she was a journalist.  They knew.  They admitted it on the scene.  And they chose to lie to the people of Wisconsin.