Journalist hit by foam round while covering LA immigration protest

Jeremy Lindenfeld, a journalist reporting for news nonprofit Capital & Main, was struck in the abdomen by a foam baton round while covering an anti-deportation protest in downtown Los Angeles, California, on June 9, 2025.

The protest was part of a wave of demonstrations that began June 6, following federal immigration raids across the LA area amid a larger immigration crackdown by the Trump administration. After demonstrators clashed with LA law enforcement officers and federal agents, President Donald Trump deployed the California National Guard and U.S. Marines, despite objections from state and local officials.

Lindenfeld said the scene was “incredibly chaotic” as Los Angeles Police Department officers advanced a skirmish line and began detaining protesters.

“I was moving back as instructed,” he said. “I also was not at the front of the line until they forcibly detained somebody right in front of me, which is all on camera. Right after that, I got hit.”

In a video Lindenfeld posted to social platform X, a loud shot is heard, followed by his pained response. The impact of what Lindenfeld described as a foam baton round, similar to a rubber bullet, caused a small bruise on his abdomen.

Lindenfeld said he was clearly identifiable as a journalist when he was struck, wearing both a press badge and helmet marked “PRESS” in all caps. While he couldn’t speak to the officer’s intent, he said it was clear no effort was made to avoid hitting him.

“He definitely knew I was a member of the media,” Lindenfeld said. “I don’t know if he wanted to hit a journalist, or if he just didn’t care.”

When reached for comment, the LAPD directed the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker to the department’s social media accounts. In a statement posted to X, the department said it was responding to “significant acts of violence, vandalism, and looting.”

“Multiple deployments of less-lethal munitions were necessary to manage the crowds and prevent further harm to people or property,” the statement read, before adding that its professional standards bureau would be investigating allegations of excessive force.

Lindenfeld described a pattern of police aggression toward both protesters and journalists throughout the days of protests. Previously, he had been exposed to tear gas and pepper balls near the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown LA and during an immigration raid in Paramount. Later, on June 14, at a “No Kings Day” anti-Trump protest, he said he was exposed to tear gas again despite wearing protective gear.

While he said such tactics make it feel unsafe to report, Lindenfeld emphasized that the experience hasn’t deterred him.

“For me and others, it has strengthened our resolve,” he said. “We’re going to keep covering this.”