Nine journalist shot by rubber bullets in US previously celebrated jailing of anti-lockdown protest organiser
Nine News US correspondent Lauren Tomasi was covering anti-immigration enforcement rallies in Los Angeles when she was hit in the leg by a rubber bullet in an incident which has sparked concern at the highest levels of the Australian government.
However a tweet has resurfaced in which the Nine journalist described the jailing of protest organiser Anthony Khallouf as a 'good result' which would act as a 'warning' to others.
The Nine journalist was responding to a breaking news that Mr Khallouf had been 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.
'This is a good result. And hopefully a warning to any other 'freedom rally' protestors who want to attend tomorrow,' Tomasi said in 2021.
Australian anti-lockdown protests were met with extreme force during the Covid pandemic, including the use of rubber bullets.
Tomasi was covering violent anti-immigration enforcement protests in Los Angeles on Monday when a law enforcement officer appeared to line his weapon up and fire directly at her.
The Australian journalist can be seen grabbing her leg and yelling in pain before running away and telling her cameraman she was ok.
She has since revealed that she has a nasty bruise but is otherwise 'good'.
However the incident has sparked outrage among press freedom advocates and caused concern at the highest levels of the Australian government.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed he had spoken to Ms Tomasi on Tuesday Morning, describing the incident as 'not acceptable'.
'She's going okay, she's pretty resilient, I've got to say. But that footage was horrific," the Prime Minister said.
'That was the footage of an Australian journalist doing what journalists do at their very best… which is to go into an environment that's not comfortable, but where in LA it is not unreasonable to think that she would not have been targeted with a rubber bullet.
'It is not unreasonable to think that she could go about her coverage, clearly - as people can see the footage - clearly identified as media.
'So we have already raised these issues with the US administration. We don't find it acceptable that it occurred, and we think the role of the media is particularly important.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also confirmed the Australian Consulate-General in Los Angeles had been in contact with Ms Tomasi and 'stands ready to provide consular assistance if required'.
'Australia supports media freedom and the protection of journalists. All journalists should be able to do their work safely,' a DFAT spokesperson told SkyNews.com.au
Tomasi's colleague and Today show host Karl Stefanovic told viewers the incident could have occurred because of one of three reasons.
"A moment where an LA officer so thought his life was in danger he needed to discharge his weapon, an incompetent warning shot, or the act of a coward," he said.
Stefanovic described Tomasi as a 'hard-working, tenacious reporter who is always determined to be fair and balanced'.
"I get that it's dangerous to cops, too. What's happened to them in the line of duty and the position they are in is horrendous,' the Today show host added.
'But how is it okay for your police force to be firing at unarmed Australian journalists? If Albo is looking for a place to start with Donald Trump - as an Australian, I might start there."
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But Mr Burke pointed to decisions to block people who had expressed anti-Semitic views, such as Kanye West, from entering the country. "It seems that the coalition only believe I should be rejecting people if they will cause harm to the Jewish community," he said. Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said it was unacceptable for Mr Netanyahu to publicly insult a fellow world leader, but Mr Burke's comments were also out of line. "... Both parties are acting contrary to the interest of the people they're seeking to represent and serve ... They need to find a new course and a new way of dealing with each other and doing business, because this is entirely counterproductive," he told Sky News. The Australian government has returned serve after a remarkable sledge by Israel's prime minister, with a senior minister calling out Benjamin Netanyahu for "blowing up" Palestinians and starving children. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke defended his decision to deny a visa to far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, who was set to undertake a speaking tour of Australia at the invitation of a fringe Jewish group. The Israeli government retaliated by cancelling the visas of three Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority and ordering embassy staff to apply extra scrutiny to Australian applications to enter Israel. But the diplomatic spat erupted on Tuesday night when Mr Netanyahu called his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese a "weak politician" in a social media post. Mr Burke said the increasingly "isolated" Israeli prime minister was lashing out, like he had done to other Western leaders who in recent weeks had vowed to recognise Palestinian statehood. "Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry. Strength is much better measured by exactly what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done," he told ABC Radio National on Wednesday. "When there's a decision that we know Israel won't like, he goes straight to Benjamin Netanyahu, he has the conversation, he says exactly what we're intending to do, and has the chance for the objections to be made person-to-person." In revoking the visas of the Australian diplomats, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar cited Australia's decision to recognise Palestine, as well as the refusal to grant visas to Mr Rothman and former Israeli minister Ayelet Shaked. Mr Burke said he had a responsibility to not "hold out a welcome mat" to people with extreme views. "One of them has described Palestinian children as the enemy, and the other has described Palestinian children as little snakes - as little snakes," he said. "Now, if anyone wanted to come on a public speaking tour and they had those views publicly expressed about Israeli children, I would block the visa, and I'm going to not have a lower bar for the protection of views that are bigoted views against the Palestinian people." Opposition home affairs spokesman Andrew Hastie said he didn't agree with Mr Rothman's views but the decision to refuse his visa had further damaged Australia's relationship with Israel. "The important thing to note is that the relationship with Israel now is at an all-time low, and that's largely because of the Albanese foreign policy incompetence from this government," he told ABC Radio National. Mr Burke had been "inconsistent" in his application of standards to visa approvals, Mr Hastie added. British commentator Sami Hamdi was allowed to enter Australia for a speaking tour in 2024, despite earlier comments celebrating Hamas' October 7 attacks, he said. But Mr Burke pointed to decisions to block people who had expressed anti-Semitic views, such as Kanye West, from entering the country. "It seems that the coalition only believe I should be rejecting people if they will cause harm to the Jewish community," he said. Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said it was unacceptable for Mr Netanyahu to publicly insult a fellow world leader, but Mr Burke's comments were also out of line. "... Both parties are acting contrary to the interest of the people they're seeking to represent and serve ... They need to find a new course and a new way of dealing with each other and doing business, because this is entirely counterproductive," he told Sky News. The Australian government has returned serve after a remarkable sledge by Israel's prime minister, with a senior minister calling out Benjamin Netanyahu for "blowing up" Palestinians and starving children. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke defended his decision to deny a visa to far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, who was set to undertake a speaking tour of Australia at the invitation of a fringe Jewish group. The Israeli government retaliated by cancelling the visas of three Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority and ordering embassy staff to apply extra scrutiny to Australian applications to enter Israel. But the diplomatic spat erupted on Tuesday night when Mr Netanyahu called his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese a "weak politician" in a social media post. Mr Burke said the increasingly "isolated" Israeli prime minister was lashing out, like he had done to other Western leaders who in recent weeks had vowed to recognise Palestinian statehood. "Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry. Strength is much better measured by exactly what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done," he told ABC Radio National on Wednesday. "When there's a decision that we know Israel won't like, he goes straight to Benjamin Netanyahu, he has the conversation, he says exactly what we're intending to do, and has the chance for the objections to be made person-to-person." In revoking the visas of the Australian diplomats, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar cited Australia's decision to recognise Palestine, as well as the refusal to grant visas to Mr Rothman and former Israeli minister Ayelet Shaked. Mr Burke said he had a responsibility to not "hold out a welcome mat" to people with extreme views. "One of them has described Palestinian children as the enemy, and the other has described Palestinian children as little snakes - as little snakes," he said. "Now, if anyone wanted to come on a public speaking tour and they had those views publicly expressed about Israeli children, I would block the visa, and I'm going to not have a lower bar for the protection of views that are bigoted views against the Palestinian people." Opposition home affairs spokesman Andrew Hastie said he didn't agree with Mr Rothman's views but the decision to refuse his visa had further damaged Australia's relationship with Israel. "The important thing to note is that the relationship with Israel now is at an all-time low, and that's largely because of the Albanese foreign policy incompetence from this government," he told ABC Radio National. Mr Burke had been "inconsistent" in his application of standards to visa approvals, Mr Hastie added. British commentator Sami Hamdi was allowed to enter Australia for a speaking tour in 2024, despite earlier comments celebrating Hamas' October 7 attacks, he said. But Mr Burke pointed to decisions to block people who had expressed anti-Semitic views, such as Kanye West, from entering the country. "It seems that the coalition only believe I should be rejecting people if they will cause harm to the Jewish community," he said. Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said it was unacceptable for Mr Netanyahu to publicly insult a fellow world leader, but Mr Burke's comments were also out of line. "... Both parties are acting contrary to the interest of the people they're seeking to represent and serve ... They need to find a new course and a new way of dealing with each other and doing business, because this is entirely counterproductive," he told Sky News.
