PM urged to intervene after Australian journalist hit by rubber bullet in LA protests

SBS Australia

3 hours ago

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to hold US President Donald Trump accountable, after an Australian journalist was shot by a rubber bullet while covering protests in Los Angeles . Nine's US correspondent Lauren Tomasi said her calf was left with what she described as "a nasty bruise", after a policeman fired the rubber bullet which struck her leg. Footage of the incident appears to show one police officer directing his aim in the direction of Tomasi and a camera operator. "It really did hurt, I'd say they were the size of a golf ball," Tomasi said on Melbourne's 3AW radio. "I guess it comes part and parcel of the job sometimes but it does ... give you a sense of ... the situation here is out of control."
Nine later released a statement saying: "Lauren and her camera operator are safe and will continue their essential work covering these events." "This incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers journalists can face while reporting from the frontlines of protests, underscoring the importance of their role in providing vital information," the company said. Hanson-Young said it was "simply shocking and completely unacceptable" that US authorities would shoot at an Australian journalist, and urged Albanese to seek an urgent explanation from Trump. "As Albanese is preparing for his first meeting with President Trump, the first thing he must tell the president is to stop shooting at our journalists," she said. "Freedom of the press is a fundamental pillar of a strong, functioning democracy."
Albanese will travel as a guest to the G7 summit in Canada next week, where a meeting with Trump is likely but not locked in. "You can't have the Australian prime minister meeting with the US president within days, and have this issue sidelined," Senator Hanson-Young said. "There is no reason why the prime minister should not be picking up the phone today and asking for an explanation." The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said in a statement the Australian Consulate-General in Los Angeles was in contact with 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 spokesperson added. DFAT added that Australians are being urged to avoid areas where demonstrations and protests were happening. SBS News has contacted the Prime Minister's Office for comment. Speaking to Sky News shortly after the footage aired, deputy prime minister Richard Marles said he was unaware of the incident but glad "that reporter is OK".
Coalition senator Matt Canavan said the footage suggested "it looks like there was a targeting there," but was reluctant to jump to conclusions. "What it should be is a detailed investigation of all these matters," he told the ABC. Then-prime minister Scott Morrison asked Australia's embassy in Washington DC to investigate the assault. In 2023, a review by the US Office of the Inspector General found excessive force was used against the two media workers. In recent days, thousands of protesters have marched on the streets of Los Angeles, rallying against an immigration crackdown.