Photographer requires stitches after baton strike at New Jersey protest

Photojournalist Ryan Murphy required stitches after a federal officer hit his hand with a baton, slicing open his finger, while covering a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement and its treatment of detainees in Newark, New Jersey, on May 28, 2026.

Protests outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention facility began May 22, when many detainees went on a hunger strike. Members of Congress, state and local lawmakers and rights groups have alleged dire conditions at the facility.

Federal officers responded to the protests with chemical irritants, physical force and arrests. The Department of Homeland Security has denied allegations of detainee mistreatment.

Murphy told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker he was photographing clashes between ICE officers and protesters when he turned away to capture an image of a demonstrator being pepper-sprayed in the face.

“Out of nowhere, I was just hit with a baton in my left hand,” Murphy said. “I can say I was clearly identified as press, and I’m pretty sure that he saw that and knew that.”

Murphy, who was on assignment for Reuters, said the baton struck him on the hand holding his camera flash, sending the equipment roughly 20 feet across the street. Although the flash sustained only cosmetic damage, Murphy realized his hand had taken the brunt of the blow. Blood rushed down his arm, and his middle finger suffered a deep cut. Colleagues provided Murphy with first aid before he drove himself to the hospital, where he received several stitches.

Earlier in the day, Murphy said an ICE agent kicked his flash while it was on the ground. He also recalled being struck on the back of his elbow, though he was unsure what caused the impact, and said an officer pointed a stun gun at him.

The injury has made it difficult for Murphy to continue working.

“My hand is not very useful at the moment,” he said. The day before, he was also hit with a baton and pepper-sprayed.

In a statement emailed to the Tracker on June 1, DHS said anyone who obstructs law enforcement or disrupts its operations would be prosecuted. It did not address its use of force against members of the press.

“We remind members of the media to exercise caution as they cover these violent riots and remind journalists that covering unlawful activities in the field does come with risks,” the statement read. “Our officers take every reasonable precaution to mitigate those dangers to those exercising protected First Amendment rights.”