According to the British "Guardian" report on the 9th, an Australian TV reporter was hit by a rubber bullet fired by the US police while reporting at the protest scene in downtown Los Angeles. The whole process was filmed.
On June 8, local time, Lauren Tomasi, a reporter from Australia's 9 News in the United States, said during a live broadcast: "After several hours of confrontation, the situation deteriorated rapidly. Los Angeles police arrived on horseback and began to fire rubber bullets at protesters, driving them out of the center of Los Angeles." At this time, the police began to fire rubber bullets at the protesters. A video posted on social platforms by Channel 9 shows a police officer aiming at the direction of reporters and videographers.
The video shows Thomassi subconsciously reaching out to grab his calves, and she can also hear her crying. A bystander said to the police, "You shot the reporter!" When the bystander asked about her injury, Thomassi replied, "I'm fine."
This incident took place on the third day of the riots in Los Angeles. Channel Ninth said in a statement: "Lauren Thomassi was hit by a rubber bullet. Lauren and her videographer are currently safe and will continue to report." The statement added: "This incident is a clear reminder of the dangers that journalists may face when reporting on the frontlines of the protests, and also highlights the importance of their role in providing critical information." The Guardian said the video showed the incident near 257 East Temple Street, Los Angeles, which is located in the same neighborhood as the Los Angeles office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the heart of the protests.
Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hansen-Yung urged Australian Prime Minister Albanys to seek "emergency explanation" from the US government on the incident. Hansen-Yang said it was "shocking" and "completely unacceptable" for American law enforcement officers to shoot an Australian journalist.
Australian media reporter Lauren Thomassi was shot by American police. Source: Video screenshot
Cong Erjun
