Fourth Australian media worker struck in LA riots; press groups say journalists ‘targeted'

The Age

a day ago

A Channel Nine cameraman is the fourth Australian media worker harmed by law enforcement in Los Angeles, among dozens of journalists who have been injured at immigration protests, drawing widespread condemnation from press freedom groups.
The unnamed cameraman was struck in the leg with a ricocheting rubber bullet while covering the protests on Tuesday, Los Angeles time, leaving bruises.
The cameraman was not filming at the time and had been following instructions to find shelter from law enforcement, a Nine spokesman said.
The spokesman said Nine, the owner of this masthead, is assessing the situation and is taking into account the growing number of similar incidents involving journalists in Los Angeles.
On Tuesday (AEST) the ABC's North American correspondent Lauren Day described being hit with tear gas as police dispersed a crowd of protesters.
'You can see why they call it tear gas: it really burns your eyes, it burns your throat,' Day said during a report for ABC News.
An ABC camera operator was also shot in the chest on Tuesday with a non-lethal bullet – while wearing protective Kevlar – describing the pain like 'being punched in the chest' the broadcaster reported.
A coalition of press freedom organisations sent a letter to US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem expressing concern that federal law enforcement officers had indiscriminately targeted journalists. It urged officers to show restraint.