Washington, D.C., March 2, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) calls on the Department of Justice to drop all charges against independent photographer Shane Ryan Bollman, known professionally as Junn Bollmann, who was arrested and released by federal law enforcement in Los Angeles on February 27 in connection with his coverage of a January 18 anti-ICE demonstration in St. Paul, Minnesota.
In a Friday indictment, the Department of Justice (DOJ) named Bollmann among 30 people accused of violating two civil rights laws by entering a local church during Sunday service. He faces a felony charge of “conspiring to deprive others of their civil rights” and a misdemeanor violation of allegedly obstructing access to a house of worship under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act—the same charges handed to former CNN reporter Don Lemon and independent reporter Georgia Fort, who have separately pleaded not guilty.
The felony charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, or fines, or both. The misdemeanor is punishable by up to six months in prison, or a $10,000 fine, or both.
“The arrest of journalist Junn Bollmann follows the Trump administration’s pattern of using federal force to undermine journalists’ First Amendment rights and their ability to report on matters of public interest without fear of retaliation,” said CPJ U.S., Canada, and Caribbean Program Coordinator Katherine Jacobsen. “Using federal agents to arrest a journalist weaponizes taxpayer dollars to deter reporting, which directly impacts their rights to information. The charges against Bollmann must be dropped immediately and his electronic devices returned.”
Bollmann was arrested outside of his Los Angeles apartment by Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) agents, and brought to the Roybal Federal Building, transferred to the U.S. Marshals Service building. He was transferred back to the Roybal building for his arraignment before his release.
Bollmann’s electronic devices, including his phone, camera, and laptop were confiscated at the time of his arrest. The devices were not returned to Bollmann upon his release, and he had not received a search warrant for the devices, according to a source who asked not to be named out of fear of retaliation.
It is rare for journalists to be arrested in connection with their work in the U.S. In 2025, the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, of which CPJ is a founding member, documented at least 34 arrests or detentions of journalists, in which 12 were charged, frequently around protests, rather than through a served warrant later on. Federal charges — especially felonies — against journalists are extremely rare.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to CPJ’s emailed request for comment.