“I am still pro-police. But for the first time in my life, I now know what over-policing and a power trip looks like.”
minute read
Turning Point USA Frontlines journalist Jonathan Choe was arrested and jailed over the weekend while reporting on a protest in Las Vegas, an incident he argues reflects “inconsistent” and overly aggressive policing.
Choe was in Las Vegas covering the “No Kings” protest when the situation escalated, according to a statement he shared Monday night on X.
"Over the weekend, I was arrested for allegedly jaywalking on Las Vegas Blvd. Yes, jaywalking,” Choe wrote, describing what he characterized as a chaotic scene involving demonstrators and counter-demonstrators.
According to Choe, tensions flared as activists confronted Christians and TPAction volunteers. While filming from the sidewalk, he says he briefly stepped into the street to avoid colliding with others, at which point officers intervened.
“That’s when cops moved in and claimed I was violating the law,” he said. Much of the encounter was recorded on video.
Choe alleges he was taken into custody and held for more than 12 hours. During that time, he says he was placed in a cell with individuals accused of more serious offenses and was required to change into jail-issued clothing.
“I spent more than 12 hours in jail with a DUI suspect, accused wife beater, and a homeless drug addict,” he wrote. “They made me strip down and change into an orange jumpsuit.”
He now faces a misdemeanor charge, something he noted is a first in his life. Choe also claimed that two elderly men were arrested under similar circumstances. All three were released Sunday morning and are scheduled to appear before a judge next month.
Despite the experience, Choe emphasized that he remains broadly supportive of law enforcement, but said the incident changed his perspective.
“I am still pro-police. But for the first time in my life, I now know what over-policing and a power trip looks like,” he wrote.
Choe contends that enforcement of the law was uneven, claiming he has video evidence showing others walking in the roadway in front of officers without being stopped.
“The inconsistent enforcement is so obvious and egregious,” he said, adding that he has reached out to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for comment but has not yet received a response.
Choe says he plans to pursue the matter further, including filing complaints with Internal Affairs and the Citizen Review Board. He and his attorney also intend to request body camera footage and official police reports related to the arrest.
“The burden is on the cops to show I was intentionally walking on the roadway and was warned numerous times not to do so,” he wrote.
He also indicated interest in raising the issue with Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, a Republican and former Clark County sheriff.
Choe told The Post Millennial, "I am 100% in support of law enforcement. These men and women risk their lives every day on the job while trying to keep the community safe. But what happened in Las Vegas over the weekend was an example of one officer going on a power trip and misusing his authority. I experienced firsthand what over-policing looks like in a community and how it can erode trust in law enforcement."
"While the charge is only a misdemeanor for jaywalking, my attorney and I plan to vigorously fight this in court," he added. "We also plan to file complaints against this officer and Vegas PD.
In the end, I hope Vegas PD uses this as an opportunity to reexamine their enforcement procedures during protests."
He continued, "I was there to cover a No Kings protest for Frontlines TPUSA. The entire day was chaotic. Right before my arrest, I was recording someone else being arrested. I stepped off the sidewalk for a few seconds to avoid bumping into someone in the crowd. As I was stepping back on the sidewalk, a cop by the name of Officer Schmidt came charging at me and arrested me on the spot. He claims I was warned to stay on the sidewalk. In the midst of covering the demonstration, I did not hear him at all. Instead of giving me a warning, I was taken to jail in handcuffs."
As of now, authorities have not publicly responded to Choe’s account.
Choe was in Las Vegas covering the “No Kings” protest when the situation escalated, according to a statement he shared Monday night on X.
"Over the weekend, I was arrested for allegedly jaywalking on Las Vegas Blvd. Yes, jaywalking,” Choe wrote, describing what he characterized as a chaotic scene involving demonstrators and counter-demonstrators.
According to Choe, tensions flared as activists confronted Christians and TPAction volunteers. While filming from the sidewalk, he says he briefly stepped into the street to avoid colliding with others, at which point officers intervened.
“That’s when cops moved in and claimed I was violating the law,” he said. Much of the encounter was recorded on video.
Choe alleges he was taken into custody and held for more than 12 hours. During that time, he says he was placed in a cell with individuals accused of more serious offenses and was required to change into jail-issued clothing.
“I spent more than 12 hours in jail with a DUI suspect, accused wife beater, and a homeless drug addict,” he wrote. “They made me strip down and change into an orange jumpsuit.”
He now faces a misdemeanor charge, something he noted is a first in his life. Choe also claimed that two elderly men were arrested under similar circumstances. All three were released Sunday morning and are scheduled to appear before a judge next month.
Despite the experience, Choe emphasized that he remains broadly supportive of law enforcement, but said the incident changed his perspective.
“I am still pro-police. But for the first time in my life, I now know what over-policing and a power trip looks like,” he wrote.
Choe contends that enforcement of the law was uneven, claiming he has video evidence showing others walking in the roadway in front of officers without being stopped.
“The inconsistent enforcement is so obvious and egregious,” he said, adding that he has reached out to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for comment but has not yet received a response.
Choe says he plans to pursue the matter further, including filing complaints with Internal Affairs and the Citizen Review Board. He and his attorney also intend to request body camera footage and official police reports related to the arrest.
“The burden is on the cops to show I was intentionally walking on the roadway and was warned numerous times not to do so,” he wrote.
He also indicated interest in raising the issue with Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, a Republican and former Clark County sheriff.
Choe told The Post Millennial, "I am 100% in support of law enforcement. These men and women risk their lives every day on the job while trying to keep the community safe. But what happened in Las Vegas over the weekend was an example of one officer going on a power trip and misusing his authority. I experienced firsthand what over-policing looks like in a community and how it can erode trust in law enforcement."
"While the charge is only a misdemeanor for jaywalking, my attorney and I plan to vigorously fight this in court," he added. "We also plan to file complaints against this officer and Vegas PD.
In the end, I hope Vegas PD uses this as an opportunity to reexamine their enforcement procedures during protests."
He continued, "I was there to cover a No Kings protest for Frontlines TPUSA. The entire day was chaotic. Right before my arrest, I was recording someone else being arrested. I stepped off the sidewalk for a few seconds to avoid bumping into someone in the crowd. As I was stepping back on the sidewalk, a cop by the name of Officer Schmidt came charging at me and arrested me on the spot. He claims I was warned to stay on the sidewalk. In the midst of covering the demonstration, I did not hear him at all. Instead of giving me a warning, I was taken to jail in handcuffs."
As of now, authorities have not publicly responded to Choe’s account.
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