ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A reporter arrested as he took photos of other protesters being arrested at an Asheville sit-in says it raises issues whether police really want to be transparent.

Mountain Xpress reporter Dan Hesse was arrested July 22 after police ordered 17 protesters to leave the Asheville Police Department. They were asking for racial justice.

Asheville Police spokeswoman Christina Hallingse says about half the protesters left. Hesse stayed to take photos for his alternative weekly publication.

Prosecutors dropped the charge a week later. Hesse says if taking photos of peaceful protesters is breaking the law, he wonders what else people can be arrested for.

Hallingse told the Citizen-Times of Asheville (http://avlne.ws/2aJ9f1W ) that there is no exemption that allows a reporter to ignore a lawful order and not be arrested.

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Information from: The Asheville Citizen-Times, http://www.citizen-times.com