After seeing the latest video of him being surrounded by aggressive reporters and cameras, D.C. police informally expressed concern about the lack of space between Mayor Vincent Gray and the media scrum following him.
On Monday, the mayor opened the International AIDS Conference at the Washington Convention Center. Protesters were just inches from him, and reporters, asking about AIDS and the campaign scandal swirling around Gray, made it almost impossible for the mayor to walk.
Media scrums like that prompted police to express concern to the mayor's security team to create more space around him. Police Chief Cathy Lanier did not issue an order to step up protection, as previously reported by News4.
After a news conference promoting a website where citizens can grade city services like public works and the DMV, the mayor quickly left rather than hanging around to informally chat with reporters.
"The mayor has plenty of meetings," said his press secretary, Pedro Ribeiro. "He's got a city to run."
The mayor's office confirmed that police are concerned about the mayor's ability to travel unimpeded but said there is no attempt to isolate the mayor from reporters – just to better control some of the media chaos around him.
The media attention on Mayor Gray has increased significantly because of the federal investigation into his 2010 campaign and recent revelations about a "shadow campaign" to help get him elected.
