Incident details
- Date of incident
- June 14, 2025
- Location
- Los Angeles, California
- Targets
- E.L. (Freelance)
- Assailant
- Law enforcement
- Was the journalist targeted?
- No
Assault
Law enforcement at a “No Kings” protest against the Trump administration in Los Angeles, California, on June 14, 2025. A photographer was hit with crowd-control munitions while covering the demonstration.
A freelance photojournalist was struck with crowd-control munitions fired by law enforcement while documenting a “No Kings” protest on June 14, 2025, in Los Angeles, California.
The demonstration was one of many protests held across the country in opposition to President Donald Trump, and was planned to coincide with a military parade on Trump’s birthday, marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. It also followed days of protests in the LA area against recent federal raids, part of the Trump administration’s larger immigration crackdown.
E.L., who asked that only his initials be used due to concerns related to his dual citizenship, told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that he was documenting a protest downtown near the Metropolitan Detention Center, where immigrants were being held.
While shooting a confrontation between the LA County Sheriff’s Department and protesters, he was hit a couple of times in the leg with what he described as pepper bullets.
“I cannot say for sure I was targeted,” he said. “I’m running in the middle of the line of fire; I’m heightening my chances to be shot in any kind of way.”
In a statement emailed to the Tracker on June 10, the 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.”
The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker catalogs press freedom violations in the United States. Email tips to [email protected].
