More than 100 Associated Press reporters have protested the firing of Emily Wilder for launching criticism against the policies of the Israeli government.
The AP staffers signed an open letter Monday to record their protest against the firing of Arizona-based Jewish reporter Emily Wilder on the basis of old social media posts regarding her past college activism on behalf of Palestinian issues.
Wilder had publicly condemned the Israeli government’s refusal to allow Palestinian refugees and their descendants to return to their homes, reported RT.
According to The Hill, Wilder was fired from her position at AP just days before a cease-fire in the conflict was announced. Her dismissal occurred after a group of Republicans dug up her old posts criticising the policies of the Israeli government.
The AP hired Wilder, formerly a reporter for the Arizona Republic, for the entry-level reporting role of news associate on May 3.
Wilder had been fired on May 19 after a series of tweets posted by Stanford College Republicans on May 17 regarding her activism on behalf of Palestinian causes when she was a student there two years ago.
All AP journalists can sign this letter. To add your name, email: https://t.co/nEMVNtfSka[email protected] https://t.co/O5bo5ydyAM
— Kimberlee Kruesi (@kkruesi) May 24, 2021
The protesting AP staffers stated in the open letter, “Journalists demand transparency from the subjects of our reporting and seek to hold the powerful accountable.”
It read, “That’s why we strongly disapprove of the way the AP has handled the firing of Emily Wilder and its days long silence internally. We demand more clarity from the company about why Wilder was fired.”
“We need to know that the AP would stand behind and provide resources to journalists who are the subject of smear campaigns and online harassment. As journalists who cover contentious subjects, we are often the target of people unhappy with scrutiny.”
“What happens when they orchestrate a smear campaign targeting another one of us? Interest groups are celebrating their victory and turning their sights on more AP journalists.”
The AP initially declined to comment on Wilder’s firing, but later told The Hill she was let go for tweets she had made after she had taken the job, not for her activities in college.
After initially declining to comment on Wilder’s firing, AP later told The Hill that she was let go for tweets she had made after she had taken the job, not for her activities in college.
“While AP generally refrains from commenting on personnel matters, we can confirm Emily Wilder’s comments on Thursday that she was dismissed for violations of AP’s social media policy during her time at AP,” an Associated Press spokesperson said via email.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Wilder said the AP never told her which of her tweets violated company policy and suggested the AP caved to pressure from conservatives like Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and media commentator Ben Shapiro.
It read, “This is heartbreaking as a young journalist so hungry to learn from the fearless investigative reporting of AP journalists – and do that reporting myself. It’s terrifying as a young woman who was hung out to dry when I needed support from my institution most.”
“And it’s enraging as a Jewish person – who grew up in a Jewish community, attended Orthodox schooling and devoted my college years to studying Palestine and Israel – that I could be defamed as antisemitic and thrown under the bus in the process.”
“I am one victim to the asymmetrical enforcement of rules around objectivity and social media that has censored so many journalists – particularly Palestinian journalists and other journalists of color – before me.”
Wilder added, “While the last few days have been overwhelming, I will not be intimidated into silence. I will be back soon.”
My statement on my termination from The Associated Press. pic.twitter.com/kf4NCkDJXx
— emily wilder (@vv1lder) May 22, 2021
The protesting AP reporters demanded to provide more “clarity about the disciplinary process used for Wilder, including which social media posts warranted termination and why.”
They also demanded to create “a forum to discuss what AP deems best social media practices for its journalists. It’s important that the AP and its employees can articulate where the lines are drawn,” as well as “a clear commitment to and playbook for supporting staff targeted by harassment campaigns”
