Police officers threatened and forced a Samoa Observer journalist and photojournalist to leave the Toamua EFKS Hall in Faleata 4 during pre-polling on Wednesday morning.

When the journalist and photojournalist attempted to explain to the police officers the rules for covering the election, as outlined by the Office of the Electoral Commissioner for coverage, they were told to leave, and no photos were allowed to be taken at the booth.

Voters were shouting, saying to leave or else the police would have the two Samoa Observer staff members locked up.

Attempts to get a comment from Police Commissioner Auapaau Logoitino Filipo were unsuccessful.

Tuiafelolo John Stanley has recently highlighted the importance of the media's role in covering the general election. According to a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Journalists Association of Samoa, the photographers and journalists are allowed to take photos and talk to people 50 metres away from the polling booths.