OREGON — Unidentified “security men” confiscated a University of Portland student newspaper photographer’s camera and film Sept. 22 as he took pictures of U.S. Senate candidate Tom Bruggere.
Eddie Schweizer, a freshman photographer for The Beacon, was covering an AIDS Walk benefit in downtown Portland. Schweizer turned his attention to Bruggere when he noticed the Democratic candidate mixing with a group of people nearby.
According to Beacon editor in chief Todd Iverson, three or four men claiming to be security personnel then approached the photographer and demanded he turn over his camera and film. Schweizer complied but convinced them to return the camera. The men, however, exposed the film on the spot.
Iverson said the paper is currently trying to determine for whom the security team was working. So far, AIDS Walk organizers and the senate candidate’s staff say they do not know about the men or the incident.