Weeping Angels

REPORTS of journalists being wounded during protests in the US, and particularly in the City of the Angels, Los Angeles or LA, are coming in with distressing regularity. So far, all reports are of attacks by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

The moment when Lauren Tomasi was shot; the previous frame shows an officer (circled) taking aim

Image arguably © 9 News Australia

Many reports that we see are from one @kate_ross_, who appears to be a supporter of protests against the Trump administration's detention and deportation policies - and is taking the trouble to keep count. Those colleagues whose injuries we know of are:

• US journalist Ryanne Mena shot with "pepper ball bullets" in LA on 7 June
• US freelance Sean Beckner-Carmitchel shot in the same event on 7 June
• UK photographer Nick Stern needed surgery to remove shrapnel from his leg after being shot with a "less-lethal projectile" in LA (Guardian report here) on 7 June
• An Associated Press videographer was apparently targeted with a "less-lethal projectile" to the head in LA on 8 June
• Australian journalist @LaurenTomasi was shot with a rubber bullet live on air (BBC report here) on 9 June
• New York Post photographer Toby Stanham was apparently targeted with a rubber bullet (he caught video) in LA on 10 June
• A CNN reporter Jason Carroll was "detained" (not arrested) in LA (video) on 10 June

The News Guild (Communication Workers of America) has issued a statement denouncing the targeting journalists in Los Angeles and expressed solidarity with the statement by the Australian National Media Section of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance.

© Mike Holderness