Australian PM Albanese calls Lauren Tomasi shooting incident ‘horrific'; 'very concerned' LAPD orders probe
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the footage of
Nine News
reporter Lauren Tomasi being shot by a rubber bullet while covering the riots in Los Angeles live on air 'horrific' and confirmed that Australia had already raised the matter with the Trump administration. The
Los Angeles Police Department
, too, stated that the incident was of concern and being looked into.
Outlining the role of the media, Albanese said, 'We don't find it acceptable that it occurred. Clearly, as people can see in the footage, she was identified as media. The role of the media is particularly important.'
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade added: 'All journalists should be able to do their work safely.'
Response from Los Angeles Police
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said the department is
'
very concerned
'
and is investigating the
'
target-specific munition
'
incident.
Live Events
'In a dynamic situation, it's not to say it always hits the intended target,' McDonnell said.
Calls for safety from advocates and communities
Press freedom groups and unions united in condemnation. The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance in Australia called for better staff safety measures, trauma debriefing, and equipment.
Digital Content Next's Jason Kint praised Tomasi's return to work, stating: 'Grateful for a free and plural press. And yes, it at least appeared to be an intentional shot. Chilling.' Freedom of the Press similarly urged swift action: 'This sure doesn't look like an accident.'
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson‑Young demanded that Albanese 'stop shooting at our journalists' and prompt clarity from US counterparts. UK and Northern Irish journalists also spoke out.
Leona O'Neill, head of journalism at Ulster University, warned rubber bullets could cause serious harm, calling the targeting of media 'abhorrent.'
What happened with Lauren Tomasi?
Nine News correspondent Lauren Tomasi was live on-air near the Metropolitan Detention Center, reporting on protests sparked by
US Immigration
and Customs Enforcement raids. Moments after narrating that 'this situation has now rapidly deteriorated,' an LAPD officer raised a weapon and fired a projectile that struck Tomasi in her leg.
In the chilling footage, Tomasi cries out, gripping her calf, while bystanders exclaim 'You just fucking shot the reporter!' She steadies herself immediately afterward, telling her cameraman: 'I'm good, I'm good.'
Nine News confirmed that both Tomasi and her cameraman are safe and vowed to continue their reporting.
British photographer also injured
Meanwhile, British photographer Nick Stern was also injured by a sponge bullet in nearby Compton and underwent emergency surgery.
The LAPD inquiry continues. Albanese's administration may raise the issue further when he meets President Trump at the upcoming
G7 summit
. Advocates worldwide are calling for legal scrutiny and firm assurances that journalists won't be collateral targets.
Tomasi's resolve remains unshaken. After returning to work, she said: 'I'm a bit sore, but I'm okay. Important we keep on telling the stories that need to be told.'
Protests and tensions
The protests erupted after ICE detained dozens of people across LA starting June 6, culminating in blockades of freeways and clashes with police that included tear gas, flash-bangs, rubber bullets, and mounted units.
The Trump administration had deployed some 2,000 National Guard troops and placed 500 Marines on standby.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
33 minutes ago
- NDTV
UK, Allies Sanctions Israeli Ministers For 'Inciting Violence' Against Palestinians
London: Britain and four other nations imposed sanctions on Tuesday on two far-right Israeli cabinet ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, accusing them of repeatedly inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway joined Britain in freezing the assets and imposing travel bans on Israel's national security minister Ben-Gvir and finance minister Smotrich, both West Bank settlers. Signalling a rare split with its close British ally, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X that the US condemned the move. He said it would not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, end the war there and bring home hostages Palestinian Hamas militants abducted from Israel 20 months ago. "We reject any notion of equivalence: Hamas is a terrorist organisation... We remind our partners not to forget who the real enemy is," Rubio said, demanding a withdrawal of the sanctions. British foreign minister David Lammy, in a joint statement with the foreign ministers of the other four nations, said Ben-Gvir and Smotrich had "incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. These actions are not acceptable. "This is why we have taken action now to hold those responsible to account," the statement said. Two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said the sanctions included targeted financial restrictions and travel bans. Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Saar, said the action by the five countries was "outrageous" and the Israeli government would hold a special meeting early next week to decide how to respond. Smotrich, speaking at the inauguration of a new West Bank Jewish settlement in the Hebron Hills, spoke of "contempt" for Britain's move. "We are determined, God willing, to continue building," he said. As the five nations announced action against the Israeli ministers, the United States imposed sanctions on a leading Palestinian human rights organization as well as five charity groups in the Middle East and Europe, accusing them of supporting Palestinian militants including Hamas. 'Egregious' Last month, the leaders of Britain, France and Canada put pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to end a blockade on aid into Gaza, where international experts have said famine is imminent, promising "concrete action" if a new military offensive did not stop. London also suspended free trade talks with Israel for pursuing "egregious policies" in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, and announced further sanctions against West Bank settlers. In response, Netanyahu accused them of wanting to help Hamas and "being on the wrong side of history". Tuesday's joint statement said their action was focused on curbing violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and was aimed solely at individuals who "undermine Israel's own security". But it added the measures could not be seen in isolation of events in Gaza. "We continue to be appalled by the immense suffering of civilians, including the denial of essential aid," it said. "There must be no unlawful transfer of Palestinians from Gaza or within the West Bank, nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza Strip." The foreign ministers said they still wanted "a strong friendship with the people of Israel based on shared ties, values and commitment to (its) security and future". "We will strive to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of the remaining hostages by Hamas, which can have no future role in the governance of Gaza, a surge in aid and a path to a two-state solution," the statement said. Ben-Gvir and Smotrich have previously clashed with Netanyahu, both calling for the permanent conquest of Gaza and re-establishment of the Jewish settlements there that Israel abandoned in 2005, notions that the Israeli leader has rejected. Israel began its offensive in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in October 2023 in which 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed, according to Israeli tallies, and 251 people were taken to Gaza and held hostage. Israel's campaign has devastated much of Gaza and killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Curfew under consideration amid rising tensions in Los Angeles, says Mayor Bass
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Tuesday evening that the city is likely to implement a curfew "within hours" as violent unrest and immigration protests intensify across the to CNN, Bass said she was in active discussions with the LAPD regarding the scope and timing of the curfew. "Initial thinking is that it would not engulf the entirety of downtown Los Angeles," she clarified, while emphasising that the announcement would be made "before nightfall" and would "go into effect tonight."advertisementHer remarks came as protestors brought traffic to a halt on the 101 Freeway, with protesters flooding both directions of the busy highway just before rush hour, disrupting traffic and sparking a heavy police response. LAPD officers were able to clear one direction, but the other remains blocked. Tuesday marked the fifth consecutive day of protests in Los Angeles following controversial ICE raids, which critics say are tearing families apart and disproportionately targeting immigrant communities."We are trying to contain a volatile situation while respecting people's right to protest," Bass said. "But the safety of Angelenos comes first."Mayor Bass pinned the unrest at some of the LA protests squarely on the Trump administration, saying Tuesday that there was "nothing going on here that warranted the federal intervention."She also said she was mystified about why the Marines were sent. "People have asked me what are the Marines going to do when they get here? That's a good question. I have no idea," she said at a news also called out Trump for suggesting the National Guard, not local police, quell the violence that did happen, noting that Trump made the claim in a Saturday night tweet but that the first Guard troops didn't arrive until inputs from agenciesTune InMust Watch
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
CBI seeks high court nod to chargesheet Nirav Modi's brother-in-law Maiank Mehta
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday sought permission from the Bombay High Court to file a chargesheet against fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi's brother-in-law, Maiank Mehta, stating that its investigation is complete and the chargesheet is ready. Advocates Kuldeep Patil and Saili Dhuru, representing the agency, submitted the request before a bench of Justices AS Gadkari and Rajesh S advocate Amit Desai, appearing for Maiank Mehta, opposed the CBI's request and sought interim protection from coercive action not just for Maiank but also for his wife, Purvi the court declined to extend the protection to her. "Today there is no apprehension of her arrest as she is not here in India. There is no question of protecting her," the bench said. Purvi Mehta, a Belgian national and Nirav Modi's sister, was chargesheeted by the CBI in March this year in connection with the multi-crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case. Both she and Maiank Mehta were previously listed as wanted accused by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).In exchange for full disclosure, the ED accepted Maiank and Purvi Mehta as approvers and granted them a pardon under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The special PMLA court even allowed Maiank, a British national based in Hong Kong, to return home after he promised to cooperate with the proceedings. However, the CBI has consistently opposed his travel and has not accepted him as an CBI has alleged that Purvi Mehta was one of the beneficiaries of the funds acquired through fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LOUs) issued by PNB at Nirav Modi's behest. While Maiank Mehta was questioned several times by the CBI, he was not named in the chargesheet due to a Bombay High Court order directing the agency not to take coercive action against him. That protection has been in effect since July 25, 2022, and the CBI has been seeking its removal Purvi Mehta has filed a petition in the High Court seeking protection from arrest and prosecution by the CBI, arguing that she has already been pardoned in the ED's case. She has also sought the quashing of the chargesheet filed against her or, at the very least, a stay on proceedings until her petition is court has scheduled the next hearing in the matter for July Watch
