Law enforcement is targeting journalists at ICE protests

[j brown's body]

"During the current Los Angeles protests against ICE immigration raids and the use of the National Guard in Los Angeles, journalists and photographers are reporting that they are being deliberately targeted by law enforcement. The Associated Press reported that by June 10, over two-dozen journalists had been arrested or "roughed up" by law enforcement. The Los Angeles Press Club documented more than 30 incidents affecting reporters, including shootings with rubber bullets and tear gas attacks .

The Closer to the Edge Substack is keeping a close eye on reporters being targeted by the LA Police. On June 13, Closer to the Edge noted that, “in the middle of [the protests are] journalists. Walking. Filming. Getting hit. Again. Because it turns out nothing makes you a bigger threat to authoritarian theater than a working microphone and a record button.”

...Attacking reporters and photographers is not a new phenomenon. Over the years, police departments in the U.S. have increasingly been targeting journalists and photographers during protests, with incidents escalating notably during the 2020 George Floyd protests and continuing into 2025. The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker documented over 100 arrests and 114 physical attacks on journalists during this period."

Link

Authoritarians do not like accountability.

 

[Bok Tuklo]

The Israeli model.

 

[Loulit01]

Democracy dies in darkness.

 

[Napoleon]

Democracy dies in darkness.

Ooga booga!

 

[venice_ca]

From LAist:
On Monday, the Los Angeles Press Club and the investigative reporting site Status Coup filed a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles and the chief of the Los Angeles Police Department in federal court, alleging that officers at the demonstrations are routinely violating journalists' rights.

Press group sues LA, alleging police abuse of reporters at ICE rallies

The Los Angeles Press Club says police officers repeatedly used "less-lethal" bullets and violated the constitutional rights of reporters covering anti-ICE protests.

laist.com

Expect another $$$ lawsuit settlement. And then the LAPD chief will cry about his budget.

This isn’t LAPD’s first rodeo with lawsuits by the press.

Post in thread 'Good Cop Bad Cop'

Jun 18, 2025

Um, LAPD anyone?

In 2021, after the 2020 protests around the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Sacramento passed laws regarding proper crowd control procedures, and use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and bean bag rounds. Also, law enforcement is not to interfere with journalists covering protests.

FTA:

“The laws state that crowd dispersal weapons can only be used when there is a clear threat to officers or bystanders, not solely to disperse crowds. Their use is supposed to follow clear warnings from law enforcement officers, from multiple locations and in multiple languages...

• venice_ca

• 

 

[Integrityrespec]

"During the current Los Angeles protests against ICE immigration raids and the use of the National Guard in Los Angeles, journalists and photographers are reporting that they are being deliberately targeted by law enforcement. The Associated Press reported that by June 10, over two-dozen journalists had been arrested or "roughed up" by law enforcement. The Los Angeles Press Club documented more than 30 incidents affecting reporters, including shootings with rubber bullets and tear gas attacks .

The Closer to the Edge Substack is keeping a close eye on reporters being targeted by the LA Police. On June 13, Closer to the Edge noted that, “in the middle of [the protests are] journalists. Walking. Filming. Getting hit. Again. Because it turns out nothing makes you a bigger threat to authoritarian theater than a working microphone and a record button.”

...Attacking reporters and photographers is not a new phenomenon. Over the years, police departments in the U.S. have increasingly been targeting journalists and photographers during protests, with incidents escalating notably during the 2020 George Floyd protests and continuing into 2025. The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker documented over 100 arrests and 114 physical attacks on journalists during this period."

Link

Authoritarians do not like accountability.

Stay out of the way, don't interfere with law enforcement.

 

[j brown's body]

Stay out of the way, don't interfere with law enforcement.

An LA cop shot a reporter while she was standing by.

 

[Napoleon]

An LA cop shot a reporter while she was standing by.

I’m sure you think booting Geraldo from Iraq was a crime against humanity too.

 

[venice_ca]

Stay out of the way, don't interfere with law enforcement.

Not according to California law. See #5 above.

Plus:
“Members of the Los Angeles Police Department appear to have violated California law and a federal court order with their use of crowd control weapons during protests, civil rights attorneys told LAist.

Two state laws passed in response to law enforcement actions during the 2020 George Floyd protests restrict the use of chemical agents and kinetic energy projectiles — crowd control weapons that include tear gas and other less-lethal munitions such as rubber bullets and bean bag rounds — unless specific criteria are met. The laws also forbid police from interfering with journalists covering protests.”

LAPD protest response breaks California law, civil rights lawyers say

LAist reporters witnessed LAPD officers firing less-lethal munitions into crowds and taunting protestors from a helicopter. State law and a federal court order restrict the use of crowd dispersal weapons unless specific criteria are met.

laist.com

 

[Integrityrespec]

An LA cop shot a reporter while she was standing by.

As I said, stay out of the way. If you put yourself in dangerous situations bad things can happen. I've seen lots of reporters hanging what looks to be too darn close to trouble.

 

[Integrityrespec]

Not according to California law. See #5 above.

Plus:
“Members of the Los Angeles Police Department appear to have violated California law and a federal court order with their use of crowd control weapons during protests, civil rights attorneys told LAist.

Two state laws passed in response to law enforcement actions during the 2020 George Floyd protests restrict the use of chemical agents and kinetic energy projectiles — crowd control weapons that include tear gas and other less-lethal munitions such as rubber bullets and bean bag rounds — unless specific criteria are met. The laws also forbid police from interfering with journalists covering protests.”

LAPD protest response breaks California law, civil rights lawyers say

LAist reporters witnessed LAPD officers firing less-lethal munitions into crowds and taunting protestors from a helicopter. State law and a federal court order restrict the use of crowd dispersal weapons unless specific criteria are met.

laist.com

Of course the civil rights lawyer says that.

 

[venice_ca]

As I said, stay out of the way. If you put yourself in dangerous situations bad things can happen. I've seen lots of reporters hanging what looks to be too darn close to trouble.

Again, California law is very specific about police behavior towards journalists. See above post #9.

 

[venice_ca]

Of course the civil rights lawyer says that.

Because CA law is very specific regarding how LE must treat journalists.

 

[j brown's body]

As I said, stay out of the way. If you put yourself in dangerous situations bad things can happen. I've seen lots of reporters hanging what looks to be too darn close to trouble.

Sigh. Like I said, she was out of the way.

Reporters often put themselves in dangerous situation, but the danger shouldn't be coming from the state.