Australian journalist hit by rubber bullets while reporting protests in Los Angeles – Country
Australian television journalist Lauren Tomasi was hit by rubber bullets on Sunday after a crackdown on immigration by U.S. President Donald Trump and subsequent mass protests deploying the California National Guard to the city at a live protest in downtown Los Angeles.
Tomasi, a 9NEWS correspondent, was captured in the video when she reported her gun lifted and shot her gun in a close round.
“After standing for a few hours, things have now deteriorated rapidly – LAPD rode in, fired rubber bullets at protesters, moving them in the heart of Los Angeles,” Thomassi said.
“You're just f, shooting the reporter!” The voice outside the camera shouted from the crowd.
Thomassi's crew then asked if she was okay, and she replied, “Yes, I'm fine. I'm fine.”
The shooting happened about an hour when Tomasi tried to talk about the sound of the gunshots.
“They told people to leave the area and protesters kept rejecting it,” Thomassi said.
“We're safe here. It's just noisy. But you can see the volatility. I can see the police here fire rubber bullets at these protesters.”
On Monday, Tomasi told 9News that she was safe and unharmed after the incident.
“I'm fine, my photographer Jimmy and I are safe. It's just one of the unfortunate reality of reporting such incidents,” she said.
9News also issued a statement confirming that Tomasi was “hit by a rubber bullet.”
“Lauren and her camera operators are safe and will continue to cover important work in these incidents. This incident is a clear reminder of the inherent dangers journalists may face when reporting in protests, highlighting the importance of their role in providing important information,” the store said.
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The Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade also issued a statement saying “All journalists should be able to complete the work safely.”
“Australia supports media freedom and protection of journalists,” the department said.
Australian Senator Sarah Hanson-Young asked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to demand “emergency explanation” from the Trump administration.
“The shooting of an Australian journalist by U.S. authorities is shocking, unacceptable and must be called up,” Hansen Young wrote. “The Prime Minister must seek an urgent explanation and tell President Trump to stop police shooting at our journalists.”
“The freedom of the press is the fundamental pillar of a strong, well-functioning democracy.”
Tensions in Los Angeles escalated Sunday as thousands of protesters were on the street in response to Trump’s deployment of at least 300 California National Guard units, blocking a major highway and placing self-driving cars on the fire as law enforcement officers used tear gas, rubber bullets and flashes to control crowds.
In the evening, many protesters spread out, and the police declared it an illegal parliament, the predecessor of the police moving in and arresting those who did not leave. Some of them left behind threw objects at police from behind a temporary obstacle that spanned the width of a street, while others were parked at California Highway Patrolmen and their vehicles on the closed Southbound Highway 101. The officer ran to cover under the overpass.
The Sunday protests in Los Angeles are a sprawling city with 4 million people centered on several blocks of downtown. It was the third and most intense day against Trump’s migrant crackdown in the region, with the arrival of about 300 National Guards igniting anger and fear among many residents.
The guard was deployed specifically to protect federal buildings, including downtown detention centers where protesters were concentrated.
As protesters shouted “shame” and “go home”, they stood on their shoulders, carrying guns and riot shields. After close proximity to the defender members, another group of uniformed officers advanced on the group, shooting smoke-filled cans into the streets.
Minutes later, the Los Angeles Police Department fired numerous crowd-controlled ammunition to disperse protesters who said they were gathering illegally. Most of the team then moved traffic off Highway 101 until state patrol officers cleared them out of the driveway late afternoon.
Police Chief Jim McDonnell said the rest of the protesters were “overwhelmed”. He said they included regular mixers and they appeared in the demonstrations to cause trouble.
Dozens of people were arrested during protests throughout the weekend. One person was detained Sunday for throwing a Molotov cocktail at police officers and another was detained for hitting a motorcycle into a group of officers.
This is not the first time Trump has activated the National Guard to calm the protests. In 2020, he asked the governors of several states to send troops to Washington, D.C. in response to demonstrations that emerged after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police. Many of the governors he asked agreed to send troops to the federal district. Governors who refuse to ask are allowed to do so, keeping their troops on the ground.
This time, however, Trump opposes California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who will normally retain control and command of the California National Guard. Trump said federal forces “resolving illegal acts” in California is necessary, but the Democratic governor said the move was intentional inflammation and would only escalate tensions.”
– Documents with the Associated Press
& Copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
