CEDARTOWN, Ga. — Conflict erupted during a rally for the slain miniature donkey HeeHaw in Cedartown on Friday.
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Channel 2 Action News earlier told you about the death of the donkey, killed in a pasture along Grady Road in Polk County while police were searching for a missing 12-year-old girl.
Video from Eye On Cherokee, a local news media outlet, shows a man confront and break a microphone belonging to one of its reporters, Sal Insinga, at the rally for HeeHaw.
Eye On Cherokee told Channel 2 Action News their reporter was interviewing people gathered at the rally “when a group of counter protestors were yelling and carrying on.”
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When Insinga went over to get a statement, he was attacked, the news media outlet said.
The video shows a man break the microphone and throw part of it at the reporter.
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“The attack was unprovoked our reporter was in a suit, not carrying any signs not part of any protest, just getting coverage, no way to tell why he was the chosen victim. He is actually one of our friendliest nicest journalists who generally covers historical content for us,” Eye On Cherokee said.
Another video from Eye On Cherokee shows what appears to be the same man loaded into the back of a Polk County Sheriff’s Office police cruiser.
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to the sheriff’s office to determine the identity of the man taken into custody and any charges he may be facing.
Friday’s rally was organized with two goals: immediate release of footage related to the shooting and termination of the Cedartown officer responsible for the donkey’s death.
Cedartown PD has confirmed the officer, Trenton Garner, has faced death threats.
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