THE German Union of Journalists (DJU) has slammed “a clear obstruction to freedom of the press” after police arrested 13 journalists covering a protest.

Berlin police said they had arrested the 13, who were covering an early-morning blockade by environmentalists of a construction site where a new motorway is being built.

“They entered the site along with the activists, so we treated them as participants in the protest,” police spokesman Martin Halweg said.

He confirmed that the journalists are now being investigated on suspicion of trespass.

Berlin-Brandenburg DJU chairwoman Renate Gensch said the arrests were “simply absurd” and police would easily have identified the journalists as members of the press.

“Twelve journalists were surrounded by police, taken into custody and received reports of trespassing … one was physically searched. 

“Our colleagues … were easily recognisable as press representatives by their camera equipment and 10 had the national press ID, legitimised by the Conference of [state] Interior Ministers. They were prevented from exercising their profession.

“The police later denied other journalists access to report.”

Ms Gensch said about 100 protesters had reached the construction site of the A100 road on Sonnenallee at about 4.30am on Saturday, unfurled banners and begun chants. 

“The police had not cordoned off the area but were some distance away. It was only after the protesters were at the site that the press representatives were harassed and arrested … it is particularly brazen for the police that DJU regional manager Joerg Reichel was also taken into custody,” she stormed.

Environmental groups say new roads only increase greenhouse gas emissions and undermine Germany’s climate-change commitments, arguing that the investment should be directed to more environmentally friendly forms of travel such as rail.