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| Number of Australian journalists hit by US law enforcement during LA protests climbs | Number of Australian journalists hit by US law enforcement during LA protests climbs |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Australian reporters for Nine, the ABC and the New York Times have been affected while covering protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles | Australian reporters for Nine, the ABC and the New York Times have been affected while covering protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles |
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| The number of Australian journalists hit by law enforcement while covering ongoing immigration protests in Los Angeles has climbed, with reporters for Nine, the ABC and the New York Times affected. | The number of Australian journalists hit by law enforcement while covering ongoing immigration protests in Los Angeles has climbed, with reporters for Nine, the ABC and the New York Times affected. |
| One incident involved Australian journalist Livia Albeck-Ripka, who works for the New York Times. Albeck-Ripka, now based in LA, said she was hit in the torso by a munition fired by law enforcement while covering the protests. | One incident involved Australian journalist Livia Albeck-Ripka, who works for the New York Times. Albeck-Ripka, now based in LA, said she was hit in the torso by a munition fired by law enforcement while covering the protests. |
| “Officers began firing crowd-control munitions in our direction, and I was hit below my ribcage. It was a pretty intense, instant pain, I felt winded,” she said in a video for the New York Times. “I was really lucky because I was not seriously injured, I just have a nasty bruise.” | “Officers began firing crowd-control munitions in our direction, and I was hit below my ribcage. It was a pretty intense, instant pain, I felt winded,” she said in a video for the New York Times. “I was really lucky because I was not seriously injured, I just have a nasty bruise.” |
| Albeck-Ripka, originally from Melbourne, was hit on Sunday night US time. She noted that less-lethal rounds could kill people if they were struck in the head. | Albeck-Ripka, originally from Melbourne, was hit on Sunday night US time. She noted that less-lethal rounds could kill people if they were struck in the head. |
| Lauren Day, the North America correspondent for the ABC, has said she and her crew were teargassed when the protests escalated following a long standoff with police on Monday night local time. The experience was “extremely unpleasant”, she said. | Lauren Day, the North America correspondent for the ABC, has said she and her crew were teargassed when the protests escalated following a long standoff with police on Monday night local time. The experience was “extremely unpleasant”, she said. |
| “All of a sudden, we heard large bangs and the crowd started running. I then felt the unmistakable burn of teargas – first in my eyes, then in my nose, lips and throat,” Day reported for the ABC. | “All of a sudden, we heard large bangs and the crowd started running. I then felt the unmistakable burn of teargas – first in my eyes, then in my nose, lips and throat,” Day reported for the ABC. |
| “It really stings your entire face and makes it difficult to breathe until the point you almost want to throw up.” | “It really stings your entire face and makes it difficult to breathe until the point you almost want to throw up.” |
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| Later in the night, the cameraman working with Day was shot in the chest with a less-than-lethal round while filming protesters. Day said the cameraman – who is not Australian – had been wearing a Kevlar vest and had not sustained injuries. He described the pain to the ABC as “like being punched in the chest”. | Later in the night, the cameraman working with Day was shot in the chest with a less-than-lethal round while filming protesters. Day said the cameraman – who is not Australian – had been wearing a Kevlar vest and had not sustained injuries. He described the pain to the ABC as “like being punched in the chest”. |
| In response to a question from the Guardian about Day’s report of being hit with teargas, the Los Angeles police department said it was “aware of less-lethal deployment use during the protests”. | In response to a question from the Guardian about Day’s report of being hit with teargas, the Los Angeles police department said it was “aware of less-lethal deployment use during the protests”. |
| On Friday, a series of immigration raids across the city prompted several mostly peaceful protests around the city. On Saturday, Donald Trump sent in the national guard, in a move condemned by the California governor, Gavin Newsom, as “purposefully inflammatory”. | On Friday, a series of immigration raids across the city prompted several mostly peaceful protests around the city. On Saturday, Donald Trump sent in the national guard, in a move condemned by the California governor, Gavin Newsom, as “purposefully inflammatory”. |
| Since the deployment of the national guard, tensions have escalated with large crowds gathering in downtown centres. There have been reports of protesters throwing rocks, garbage and other objects at police and of police deploying teargas and firing less-than-lethal munitions. A curfew has been declared. | Since the deployment of the national guard, tensions have escalated with large crowds gathering in downtown centres. There have been reports of protesters throwing rocks, garbage and other objects at police and of police deploying teargas and firing less-than-lethal munitions. A curfew has been declared. |
| The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has condemned the actions of an officer who shot Nine journalist Lauren Tomasi with what the network said was a rubber bullet. | The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has condemned the actions of an officer who shot Nine journalist Lauren Tomasi with what the network said was a rubber bullet. |
| Tomasi was describing the situation in LA on Sunday, when an LAPD officer turned and took aim in her direction before firing his weapon. | Tomasi was describing the situation in LA on Sunday, when an LAPD officer turned and took aim in her direction before firing his weapon. |
| Albanese has said the footage of Tomasi being shot was “horrific” and he had raised his concerns with the US government. | Albanese has said the footage of Tomasi being shot was “horrific” and he had raised his concerns with the US government. |
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| The LAPD said it was investigating the use of excessive force by officers – in an apparent reference to Tomasi. | The LAPD said it was investigating the use of excessive force by officers – in an apparent reference to Tomasi. |
| The Los Angeles police chief, Jim McDonnell, said the LAPD was aware and “very concerned” about media being hit with crowd-control munitions. | The Los Angeles police chief, Jim McDonnell, said the LAPD was aware and “very concerned” about media being hit with crowd-control munitions. |
| “I know that situation you’re referring to, with the member of the media. We saw that, we’re very concerned about it and we’re looking into that,” he said this week. | “I know that situation you’re referring to, with the member of the media. We saw that, we’re very concerned about it and we’re looking into that,” he said this week. |
| The “less-than-lethal” weapons being deployed by the LAPD include teargas, pepper spray and flash bangs, which produce an ear-piercing bang and bright light. | The “less-than-lethal” weapons being deployed by the LAPD include teargas, pepper spray and flash bangs, which produce an ear-piercing bang and bright light. |
| The LAPD has said the department does not use “rubber bullets” but rather foam rounds – a condensed sponge projectile resembling a hard Nerf pellet – designed to cause pain on impact without penetrating the skin. | The LAPD has said the department does not use “rubber bullets” but rather foam rounds – a condensed sponge projectile resembling a hard Nerf pellet – designed to cause pain on impact without penetrating the skin. |
| They also use bean bag rounds, which are small cloth bags filled with lead or rubber pellets. These are designed not to penetrate skin but cause an impact hard enough to render a target temporarily immobile. | They also use bean bag rounds, which are small cloth bags filled with lead or rubber pellets. These are designed not to penetrate skin but cause an impact hard enough to render a target temporarily immobile. |
| The British news photographer Nick Stern was injured on the weekend while covering the protests. He believed he was hit by a less-than-lethal round shot by deputies. | The British news photographer Nick Stern was injured on the weekend while covering the protests. He believed he was hit by a less-than-lethal round shot by deputies. |
| “I’m walking around taking photos … when I felt a mighty pain in my leg. I put my hand down and felt a lump kind of sticking out the back of my leg,” he told the Guardian. He underwent emergency surgery. | “I’m walking around taking photos … when I felt a mighty pain in my leg. I put my hand down and felt a lump kind of sticking out the back of my leg,” he told the Guardian. He underwent emergency surgery. |
| – Additional reporting by Reuters | – Additional reporting by Reuters |
| This article was amended on 11 June 2025. The headline on an earlier version stated four Australian journalists had been impacted. The ABC later confirmed its cameraman was not Australian. |