Latest news with #Tomasi
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Journalists among the injured in LA as ICE protests grow violent
By Helen Coster (Reuters) -Journalists have been among those injured during protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles in recent days, as police clashed with crowds of protesters and fired less-lethal munitions to disperse them. Since confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement first flared over the weekend, more than 30 cases of "police violence" against journalists while covering the protests have been reported, according to a database maintained by the Los Angeles Press Club. The press club includes physical violence as well as efforts to impair journalists' coverage, such as nonconsensual bag searches, in the category. It updates its database with reports from journalists and incidents reported on social media. Some of the incidents have resulted in injuries. Lauren Tomasi, U.S. correspondent for 9News Australia, was hit by a projectile while reporting live in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday. Tomasi had her back to police and was speaking into the camera when an officer pointed a weapon toward her and fired it, according to a video of the incident. Toby Canham, a freelance photographer working for the New York Post, said he was struck by a projectile on Sunday, resulting in a bruised forehead. In an interview he said the projectile, which was "hard and rubbery," knocked him to the ground. The Post published an image shot by Canham showing a law enforcement official that he said had fired at him from about 100 yards (91 meters) away. Tomasi did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Matt Stanton, CEO of 9News parent company Nine, in a statement called the incident 'shocking' and emphasized the need for a formal investigation. A photo editor at the New York Post did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The press club said it was aware of 20 injuries to journalists during the LA protests, including at least five that required medical attention. While Reuters established that at least two journalists were injured, the news agency could not independently confirm whether Tomasi or Canham were targeted because they are journalists. Reuters also could not confirm the press club's figures. In remarks to Australia's National Press Club on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tomasi was targeted as a journalist and that Australia has raised the issue with the Trump administration. An LAPD spokesperson did not confirm it had launched an investigation into the Tomasi incident, but highlighted a press release stating that its professional standards bureau 'will be investigating allegations of excessive force and other issues related to LAPD actions during the protests.' It is unclear whether those allegations relate to Tomasi. Other journalists included in the database said they were tear-gassed alongside protesters, kept in a small area, or had their bags searched by law enforcement without their consent. Asked about the incidents involving journalists, a White House spokesperson highlighted the risks to law enforcement officers and the public. 'Whenever violent, left-wing rioters engage in lawless behavior, they put innocent bystanders at risk," White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement. She added that Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass "refused to quell the violent riots" and are "directly responsible for putting civilians in harm's way." Spokespeople for Newsom and Bass did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Bass, a Democrat, has said protests have been "largely peaceful", but there have also been incidents of protesters hurling projectiles at police, burning cars and looting. INADEQUATE TRAINING? Adam Rose, the press club's press rights chair, said the volume of incidents involving members of the media over just four days is unprecedented in Los Angeles. The high frequency could reflect a number of factors, including inadequate training of both law enforcement and journalists, Rose said. Canham, the freelance photographer who was injured and who previously served in the British Army, described a scene in which people were throwing water bottles at law enforcement before an officer "deliberately aimed" at him. "My main point is, please positively ID a target before you shoot," he told Reuters. Since Los Angeles relies heavily on transportation by car, law enforcement officials have a large responsibility to move protesters out of the way to allow traffic to flow, said Katherine Jacobsen, the U.S., Canada and Caribbean program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists. The priority for moving traffic could create more opportunities for conflict between police and journalists, she said. Commentators on the right have taken to social media attacking coverage by some outlets, saying they were at times intentionally downplaying the protests. It was unclear if that criticism had any impact on the number of incidents involving journalists. Trump has said protesters have spit on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Saturday that ICE officers had been targeted in recent days and doxxed, the practice of publicizing private information for malicious reasons. Reuters could not confirm these incidents. GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS The LA protests are not the first time journalists including some from Reuters covering U.S. civil unrest have suffered injuries, whether by accident or through deliberate attacks. The number of physical assaults on members of the media spiked in 2020, the year nationwide Black Lives Matter protests erupted after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, according to Press Freedom Tracker, which describes itself as a nonpartisan news website and database. In subsequent years, assaults on journalists have moderated, the Press Freedom Tracker shows. Before the recent unrest in Los Angeles and other U.S. cities, only a handful of such cases have been logged by the database this year.
Canberra Times
11-06-2025
- Health
- Canberra Times
Tassie stadium plan is a lot of bread for a circus
Allan, who lived in Los Angeles for six years in the 1980s, writes: "We've visited the USA numerous times since, but never again. Our initial concerns as we've grown older were with their health system, where serious illness could literally cost millions. Now the political situation is what worries us. I wouldn't rule out something akin to civil war the way things are escalating. But no, I don't think Albanese should raise the Tomasi shooting with Trump personally, it would achieve nothing and detract from other more important discussions."
Hindustan Times
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Journalists among the injured in LA as ICE protests grow violent
* Over 30 incidents of 'police violence' against journalists tracked by LA Press Club * Australia reporter hit by less-lethal munitions * Press Club official cites inadequate training as possible factor June 11 - Journalists have been among those injured during protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles in recent days, as police clashed with crowds of protesters and fired less-lethal munitions to disperse them. Since confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement first flared over the weekend, more than 30 cases of "police violence" against journalists while covering the protests have been reported, according to a database maintained by the Los Angeles Press Club. The press club includes physical violence as well as efforts to impair journalists' coverage, such as nonconsensual bag searches, in the category. It updates its database with reports from journalists and incidents reported on social media. Some of the incidents have resulted in injuries. Lauren Tomasi, U.S. correspondent for 9News Australia, was hit by a projectile while reporting live in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday. Tomasi had her back to police and was speaking into the camera when an officer pointed a weapon toward her and fired it, according to a video of the incident. Toby Canham, a freelance photographer working for the New York Post, said he was struck by a projectile on Sunday, resulting in a bruised forehead. In an interview he said the projectile, which was "hard and rubbery," knocked him to the ground. The Post published an image shot by Canham showing a law enforcement official that he said had fired at him from about 100 yards away. Tomasi did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Matt Stanton, CEO of 9News parent company Nine, in a statement called the incident 'shocking' and emphasized the need for a formal investigation. A photo editor at the New York Post did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The press club said it was aware of 20 injuries to journalists during the LA protests, including at least five that required medical attention. While Reuters established that at least two journalists were injured, the news agency could not independently confirm whether Tomasi or Canham were targeted because they are journalists. Reuters also could not confirm the press club's figures. In remarks to Australia's National Press Club on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tomasi was targeted as a journalist and that Australia has raised the issue with the Trump administration. An LD spokesperson did not confirm it had launched an investigation into the Tomasi incident, but highlighted a press release stating that its professional standards bureau 'will be investigating allegations of excessive force and other issues related to LD actions during the protests.' It is unclear whether those allegations relate to Tomasi. Other journalists included in the database said they were tear-gassed alongside protesters, kept in a small area, or had their bags searched by law enforcement without their consent. Asked about the incidents involving journalists, a White House spokesperson highlighted the risks to law enforcement officers and the public. 'Whenever violent, left-wing rioters engage in lawless behavior, they put innocent bystanders at risk," White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement. She added that Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass "refused to quell the violent riots" and are "directly responsible for putting civilians in harm's way." Spokespeople for Newsom and Bass did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Bass, a Democrat, has said protests have been "largely peaceful", but there have also been incidents of protesters hurling projectiles at police, burning cars and looting. INADEQUATE TRAINING? Adam Rose, the press club's press rights chair, said the volume of incidents involving members of the media over just four days is unprecedented in Los Angeles. The high frequency could reflect a number of factors, including inadequate training of both law enforcement and journalists, Rose said. Canham, the freelance photographer who was injured and who previously served in the British Army, described a scene in which people were throwing water bottles at law enforcement before an officer "deliberately aimed" at him. "My main point is, please positively ID a target before you shoot," he told Reuters. Since Los Angeles relies heavily on transportation by car, law enforcement officials have a large responsibility to move protesters out of the way to allow traffic to flow, said Katherine Jacobsen, the U.S., Canada and Caribbean program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists. The priority for moving traffic could create more opportunities for conflict between police and journalists, she said. Commentators on the right have taken to social media attacking coverage by some outlets, saying they were at times intentionally downplaying the protests. It was unclear if that criticism had any impact on the number of incidents involving journalists. Trump has said protesters have spit on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Saturday that ICE officers had been targeted in recent days and doxxed, the practice of publicizing private information for malicious reasons. Reuters could not confirm these incidents. GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS The LA protests are not the first time journalists including some from Reuters covering U.S. civil unrest have suffered injuries, whether by accident or through deliberate attacks. The number of physical assaults on members of the media spiked in 2020, the year nationwide Black Lives Matter protests erupted after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, according to Press Freedom Tracker, which describes itself as a nonpartisan news website and database. In subsequent years, assaults on journalists have moderated, the Press Freedom Tracker shows. Before the recent unrest in Los Angeles and other U.S. cities, only a handful of such cases have been logged by the database this year.
Sky News AU
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
'Can't ignore the irony': Anti-lockdown protest organiser points out 'double standard' after Australian journalist shot by rubber bullets in US previously celebrated his jailing
Anti-lockdown figurehead Anthony Khallouf has accused Nine News US correspondent Lauren Tomasi of applying a "double standard'' on protest reporting after she previously celebrated his jailing during the Covid pandemic. Ms Tomasi was shot in the leg by a rubber bullet on Monday while covering the immigration riots in Los Angeles, in an incident which has sparked concern at the highest levels for the Australian government. During the incident a law enforcement officer appeared to line his weapon up and fire directly at Ms Tomasi while she was reporting. The Australian journalist was seen grabbing her leg and yelling in pain before running away and telling her cameraman she was ok. However, her reporting has now been critcised by Mr Khallouf after she previously described his jailing as a 'good result' and a "warning" to others who chose to protest the government's lockdown laws during the pandemic. In a 2021 tweet that has now resurfaced Ms Tomasi wrote: 'This is a good result. And hopefully a warning to any other 'freedom rally' protesters who want to attend tomorrow". The Nine journalist was responding to a breaking news report of Mr Khallouf being sentenced to a maximum of eight months in prison – with a non-parole period of three months – for his involvement in organising an anti-lockdown protest in Sydney, and for breaching public health orders by travelling to Sydney from Queensland. Following the news of Ms Tomasi being struck in the LA riots, Mr Khallouf told the journalist applauded state force when it "suited her", and now she has been "hit by the same system she defended". "There's a clear double standard in how protests are treated—ours were criminalised, others were celebrated," he said. "I can't ignore the irony. "She once said my sentence should be a warning, now the warning's come full circle." Mr Khallouf also called out other journalists and how they reported on his jailing, and told anti-lockdown supporters they could be tracked down by police. "The media acted like government enforcers during COVID—vilifying dissent and silencing debate," he said. "They helped normalise authoritarianism, and people aren't forgetting that." Australian anti-lockdown protests were met with extreme force during the Covid pandemic, including the use of rubber bullets.
AllAfrica
11-06-2025
- Politics
- AllAfrica
Shooting journalists in Trump's America
The video of a Los Angeles police officer shooting a rubber bullet at Channel Nine reporter Lauren Tomasi is as shocking as it is revealing. In her live broadcast, Tomasi is standing to the side of a rank of police in riot gear. She describes the way they have begun firing rubber bullets to disperse protesters angry with US President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigrants. As Tomasi finishes her sentence, the camera pans to the left, just in time to catch the officer raising his gun and firing a non-lethal round into her leg. She said a day later, she is sore, but otherwise OK. Although a more thorough investigation might find mitigating circumstances, from the video evidence, it is hard to dismiss the shot as 'crossfire.' The reporter and cameraman were off to one side of the police, clearly identified and working legitimately. The shooting is also not a one-off. Since the protests against Trump's mass deportations policy began three days ago, a reporter with the LA Daily News and a freelance journalist have been hit with pepper balls and tear gas. British freelance photojournalist Nick Stern also had emergency surgery to remove a three-inch plastic bullet from his leg. In all, the Los Angeles Press Club has documented more than 30 incidents of obstruction and attacks on journalists during the protests. It now seems assaults on the media are no longer confined to war zones or despotic regimes. They are happening in American cities, in broad daylight, often at the hands of those tasked with upholding the law. But violence is only one piece of the picture. In the nearly five months since taking office, the Trump administration has moved to defund public broadcasters, curtail access to information and undermine the credibility of independent media. International services once used to project democratic values and American soft power around the world, such as Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, have all had their funding cut and been threatened with closure. (The Voice of America website is still operational but hasn't been updated since mid-March, with one headline on the front page reading 'Vatican: Francis stable, out of 'imminent danger' of death'). The Associated Press, one of the most respected and important news agencies in the world, has been restricted from its access to the White House and covering Trump. The reason? It decided to defy Trump's directive to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America. Even broadcast licenses for major US networks, such as ABC, NBC and CBS, have been publicly threatened – a signal to editors and executives that political loyalty might soon outweigh journalistic integrity. The Committee to Protect Journalists is more used to condemning attacks on the media in places like Russia. However, in April, it issued a report headlined: 'Alarm bells: Trump's first 100 days ramp up fear for the press, democracy.' 🚨Law enforcement in Los Angeles shot non-lethal rounds that struck at least 4 reporters while covering protests that began on Friday and escalated over the weekend following immigration raids. Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard members to the state against local authorities'… — Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) June 9, 2025 Why does this matter? The success of American democracy has never depended on unity or even civility. It has depended on scrutiny. A system where power is challenged, not flattered. The First Amendment to the US Constitution – which protects freedom of speech – has long been considered the gold standard for building the institutions of free press and free expression. That only works when journalism is protected – not in theory but in practice. Now, strikingly, the language once reserved for autocracies and failed states has begun to appear in assessments of the US. Civicus, which tracks declining democracies around the world, recently put the US on its watchlist, alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Italy, Serbia and Pakistan. The attacks on the journalists in LA are troubling not only for their sake, but for ours. This is about civic architecture. The kind of framework that makes space for disagreement without descending into disorder. Press freedom is not a luxury for peacetime. It is a requirement for peace. Peter Greste is professor of journalism and communications, Macquarie University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
