Incident details
- Date of incident
- January 31, 2026
- Location
- Los Angeles, California
- Targets
- KTTV
- Equipment damaged
- Actor
- Private individual
Equipment Damage
A video screen grab shows a person spraying graffiti on a KTTV news van after smashing one of its windows at an immigration enforcement protest in Los Angeles, California, on Jan. 31, 2026.
A KTTV news van was graffitied and its window smashed by two people attending an immigration rights protest in Los Angeles, California, on Jan. 31, 2026.
The demonstration was held a day after nationwide protests and also followed similar protests in Minnesota, where federal officers had shot and killed two U.S. citizens. In LA, sweeping immigration enforcement has continued since June.
In a broadcast showing video of the incident, Justin O’Brien, a KTTV photographer in the station’s helicopter, described how he watched as a person at the protest broke one of the van’s windows. The video then showed another person opening the driver-side door.
“Somebody came up with a rock, smashed the passenger-side window, and then went to the front of the vehicle and started graffitiing it,” he said. “And then tried to actually get in the vehicle. Luckily, the vehicle was not running or had a key in it.”
One of the station’s photographers was loading his equipment in the back of the van at the time, according to O’Brien. He said the photographer was able to get in the car and drive away.
“He does not appear to have suffered any physical injuries from the person, although the person was in his face,” O’Brien said. “Just a very, very scary time there.”
Also that day, a KTTV photographer had the cord of his camera cut and microphone stolen by individuals at the protest. It’s unclear if it was the same cameraman who was seen at the news van.
At a police commission meeting Feb. 3, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell detailed incidents of the night, mentioning the department received a report that night for vandalism to a news vehicle, but did not say if the department made an arrest.
The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker catalogs press freedom violations in the United States. Email tips to [email protected].
