The number of Australian journalists who have been hit by law enforcement during immigration protests in Los Angeles is increasing, with reporters from organizations such as Nine, the ABC, and the New York Times being affected.
One incident involved Livia Albeck-Ripka, an Australian journalist who works for the New York Times and is based in LA. She was hit in the torso by a munition fired by law enforcement while covering the protests. She said in a video that she felt intense, instant pain, but was lucky to not have been seriously injured, only sustaining a nasty bruise. Albeck-Ripka noted that less-lethal rounds could be fatal if they struck someone in the head.
Lauren Day, the North America correspondent for the ABC, and her crew were teargassed when protests escalated following a standoff with police. Day described the experience as “extremely unpleasant” and said that teargas stings the entire face and makes it difficult to breathe.
The cameraman working with Day was also shot in the chest with a less-than-lethal round while filming protesters. He was wearing a Kevlar vest and did not sustain serious injuries, describing the pain as “like being punched in the chest.”
The Los Angeles police department reported that they were aware of the use of less-lethal munitions during the protests.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/11/number-of-australian-journalists-hit-by-us-law-enforcement-during-la-protests-climbs-to-four
