Australian cameraman hit with projectile while covering LA immigration protest

A TV photojournalist from the Australian national news service 9News was struck in the leg with a police crowd-control munition while covering an immigration protest in downtown Los Angeles, California, on June 10, 2025.

The protests began June 6 in response to federal raids in and around LA of workplaces and areas where immigrant day laborers gathered, amid the Trump administration’s larger immigration crackdown. After demonstrators clashed with LA law enforcement officers and federal agents, President Donald Trump called in the California National Guard and then the U.S. Marines over the objections of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass.

The 9News videographer, who was not named, was struck in the leg with what was described as a ricocheting rubber bullet, leaving bruises, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The TV news outlet reported that the cameraman was not filming at the time and had been following instructions to find shelter from law enforcement.

The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker has documented three other incidents where reporters working for Australian news outlets, two of them 9News journalists, had been struck with munitions while covering the protests in LA in June.

In a statement to the Herald, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned police actions toward 9News U.S. correspondent Lauren Tomasi, who was struck by a crowd-control munition while live on air.

Albanese said she was “an Australian journalist doing what journalists do at their very best,” adding, “In LA, it is not unreasonable to think that she would not have been targeted with a rubber bullet.”

When reached for comment, the LA Police Department directed the Tracker to the department’s social media accounts, where statements and comments would be posted. The account does not appear to have shared any comment concerning the use of crowd-control munitions on members of the media.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell had said in a news conference June 9 that he was “very concerned” about reports that members of the press were being hit by crowd-control munitions.

In a statement emailed to the Tracker on June 10, the LA County Sheriff’s Department said it prioritizes maintaining access for credentialed media, “especially during emergencies and critical incidents.”

“The LASD does not condone any actions that intentionally target members of the press, and we continuously train our personnel to distinguish and respect the rights of clearly identified journalists in the field,” a public information officer wrote. “We remain open to working with all media organizations to improve communication, transparency, and safety for all parties during public safety operations.”