St. Louis County police denied Monday that a no-fly zone established over the suburb of Ferguson during protests earlier this year was set up to keep news helicopters away.
“It’s always all about safety,” St. Louis County Chief of Police Jon Belmar at a press conference, Reuters reports. “That’s the bottom line on this.”
On Sunday the Associated Press reported that audio recordings it had obtained through Freedom of Information Act Requests revealed local authorities openly acknowledging that the no-fly zone was about keeping media outlets out.
Belmar said the 12-day, 37-square-mile no-fly zone was established after pilots claimed they saw muzzle flashes and lasers aimed at them.
The AP reports that air traffic workers had difficulty defining the ban in a way that would allow commercial flights and police helicopters through but keep news helicopters out.
[Reuters]
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
- Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
- Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
- The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
- Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
- Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
- The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Nolan Feeney at nolan.feeney@time.com