Another Aussie reporter caught in the firing line of cops as ABC star reveals how she was tear-gassed during LA riots
An Australian news reporter has spoken out on the terrifying moment she was tear-gassed while covering the Los Angeles riots.
ABC's North America correspondent Lauren Day was reporting on the immigration protests, in California 's biggest city on Monday evening, when she was engulfed in the non-lethal chemical weapon.
Day explained the police had been attempting to disperse demonstrators when she and her team were hit with the 'unpleasant' substance.
'This is really an example of just how quickly things can escalate after a long standoff with protestors police have now started to disperse the crowds, including with tear-gas,' she told ABC News.
'We got hit and you can see why it's called tear-gas it burns your eyes, burns your nose, your lips, your throat.'
'It's pretty unpleasant I've got to say.'
The terrifying moment comes after Channel Nine's Lauren Tomasi was shot with a rubber bullet fired by a police officer.
Tomasi had been telling viewers that 'the LAPD are moving in on horseback and firing rubber bullets at protesters' when the shocking incident unfolded live on air.
The US correspondent for Nine said police were 'moving them (protesters) on through the heart of LA' while several loud bangs could be heard in the distance.
Moments later a policeman was seen turning his gun towards Tomasi. A cloud of smoke appeared and she doubled over in pain.
'You just f***ing shot a reporter,' a protester yelled at nearby police as several other protesters stopped to ask the journalist if she was okay.
Tomasi could be heard yelling back: 'I'm good, I'm good', and Nine confirmed the reporter was 'left sore but otherwise unharmed' by the close-range shot.
Breaking her silence on the incident, Tomasi later told viewers: 'I'm okay. My cameraman Jimmy and I are both safe.
'This is just one of the unfortunate realities of reporting on these kinds of incidents.'
Impressively, a professional Tomasi went on to give an updated report on the unfolding events in the city.
'It has been a really volatile day on the streets of Los Angeles, and I do want to show you the scene here tonight,' she told Nine News.
Tomasi revealed she was in downtown Los Angeles, an area that had been cleared out by police.
A warning has been issued that 'if anyone moves through here, they will be arrested on the spot'.
'There has been a lot of tempers flaring here today and certainly tonight there is a lot of anger in the city of angels,' she added.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the 'horrific' attack on Tomasi and said footage of the incident showed police had 'identified' the reporter.
'It is not acceptable… I respect the role that the media play, and people should respect the role that the media play in our modern society,' he said at his first National Press Club since his re-election in May.
Albanese said he had 'already raised these issues with the US administration' but did not confirm whether he had personally spoken with President Donald Trump.
Protesters in the city are marching against Trump's crackdown on illegal migrants and raids by ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Horrifying scenes showed cars erupting into flames and emitting toxic gases as rioters chained themselves to furniture and created blockades to grind downtown Los Angeles to a complete halt as violence stretched into a fourth day.
Trump sent in 2,000 National Guard troops and placed 500 Marines on standby, while the LAPD has authorized the 'use of less lethal munitions' to regain control of the city.
The conflict has sparked a war of words between Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom, who accused him of intentionally inflaming tensions.
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