Photojournalist struck with crowd-control munitions amid LA ‘No Kings’ protest

Freelance photojournalist Moon Mandel was shot with multiple crowd-control munitions fired by law enforcement while covering protests in Los Angeles, California, on June 14, 2025.

The protest in downtown Los Angeles was one of hundreds of “No Kings” demonstrations held nationwide to counter a military parade attended by President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. It also followed days of protests in the city and nearby towns against recent federal raids, part of the Trump administration’s larger immigration crackdown.

Mandel told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that the demonstration was relatively peaceful until approximately 6:30 p.m., when Los Angeles Police Department officers and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies began deploying tear gas and disorientation weapons near City Hall.

Mandel said they saw a news van seeking to leave the area and decided to try and assist the news crew.

“I was like, ‘OK, well, I’ve got a dual-filter N95 respirator. I can definitely assist with helping this news van out, right?’” Mandel said. “I should not have tried to do that.”

Mandel said they were wearing a large, reflective yellow jacket with patches that read “PRESS” in all caps on both the front and back, but it didn’t prevent them from being targeted with multiple crowd-control munitions.

“I go to try to help this van and get hit with flash bangs, tear gas and then shot with a rubber bullet that spins me around like a dreidel. The jacket is an XL, and I’m a small individual, so thankfully they didn’t get a direct hit,” they said.

Mandel said the strike did cause them to fall to the ground, leaving them “pretty bruised and scraped up, but not out of commission.” They added that officers did shoot them multiple times with pepper balls.

When reached for comment, the LAPD directed the Tracker to the department’s social media accounts. In a June 15 statement posted to X, the department acknowledged that LAPD officers used numerous “less-lethal rounds” when responding to the protests, but did not address the use of munitions against identifiable press.

In a statement emailed to the Tracker, 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.”

Mandel told the Tracker that it is the duty of the press to be present to witness and document moments like the protest that day, but it takes a toll.

“A side effect of bearing witness to things is the unquantifiable emotional damage,” they said. “A wise woman once told me: ‘Whether you break your leg or stub your toe, you always have the right to say ouch.’ And I’m not trying to play it like I’ve seen dead bodies in the street. But there is a validity to the emotional stress of being a victim and of being a witness.”