PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A Pittsburgh Post-Gazette photojournalist who says he was banned from protest coverage announced he is leaving the newspaper.
Michael Santiago says that the newspaper no longer allowed him to cover protests after he openly supported his colleague Alexis Johnson.
READ MORE: Pittsburgh Police Investigating Multiple Overnight Gas Station Armed RobberiesJohnson says she was pulled from protest coverage because of a tweet.
Santiago tweeted that he opted to take a buyout that the Post-Gazette offered to staffers last month.
Update on my situation. Thank you #Pittsburgh ✊🏾✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/oRNxAUD9Uu
READ MORE: Stimulus Check Update: Some May See Even More Money From Potential Economic Relief Package— Michael M. Santiago (@msantiagophotos) June 14, 2020
News Guild president Michael Fuoco said that he is sad to see Santiago leave, and criticized the decision by Post-Gazette management to pull Santiago, Johnson, and others from protest coverage.
“Pittsburgh is losing a tremendous talent in Mr. Santiago, a man who says he ‘thought’ he found a home in the Steel City,'” said Brian Cook, President of the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation.
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- Post-Gazette Executive Editor Pens Open Letter, Claims ‘A Great Deal Of Disinformation’ Over Black Journalists Allegedly Pulled From Covering Protests
- ‘Unfit To Lead’: Newspaper Guild Calls For Resignation Of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Managers After Black Journalists Say They Were Pulled From Protest Coverage