As organizations representing news publications and open government groups in communities across the state of Nevada, we condemn — in the strongest possible terms — the social media harassment, violent messages, anti-semitic remarks and intentional spread of misinformation directed at reporters, editors and staff at the Las Vegas Review-Journal in recent days.
In particular, we specifically denounce the misinformed and baseless attacks, including death wishes and anti-semitic comments, directed at an individual journalist, Sabrina Schnur, whose consistent beat reporting ensured a retired police chief’s death did not go unnoticed. She did the job of news reporting with grace and diligence, shedding light on an issue of local importance, looking where no one else was looking.
Sabrina was the first reporter to the scene and first to talk to the police chief’s family. And she is one of the only reporters to consistently cover juvenile courts, one of the most challenging and stressful beats for a local reporter. Without reporters like Sabrina, we would not know vital information about what is going on in our communities.
The attacks on her are vile, saddening and a threat to all journalists. Local reporting plays a vital civic role in a functioning democracy. Local news can hold institutions of all types accountable, give communities a voice and ensure someone chronicles important stories as they develop over time. Long after a viral social media cycle fades, it is local journalists who are still diligently covering the issues at play. But this type of reporting is under threat across the country, in part due to the rise of misinformation encouraged by some of the most powerful and well-connected people, divorced from the day-to-day information they comment on.
We stand with Sabrina and the entire staff at the Review-Journal in condemning these attacks.
