AP Exclusive: Ferguson No-Fly Zone Aimed At Media

The U.S. government agreed to a police request to restrict more than 37 square miles of airspace surrounding Ferguson, Missouri, for 12 days in August for safety.  But audio recordings show otherwise.

According to thje Associated Press, audio recordings reveal local officials privately acknowledging that the no-fly zone was actually targeting news helicopters.

The Federal Aviation Administration approved the police request, and the no-fly zone was enacted over approximately 37 square miles of airspace. It was in place for 12 days this August, during the period of civil unrest following the shooting of Michael Brown.

The AP reports:

"They finally admitted it really was to keep the media out,' said one FAA manager about the St. Louis County Police in a series of recorded telephone conversations obtained by The Associated Press. 'But they were a little concerned of, obviously, anything else that could be going on.' "

"At another point, a manager at the FAA's Kansas City center said police "did not care if you ran commercial traffic through this TFR (temporary flight restriction) all day long. They didn't want media in there."

The AP obtained the recordings under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.

You can read the full story here.