Los Angeles(TheCOWNews Digital)A disturbing incident during a protest in Los Angeles has sparked widespread outrage after a viral video showed a National Guard officer firing a rubber bullet at an Australian journalist reporting live on the scene.
Lauren Tomasi, a correspondent for Australia’s 9News, was covering ongoing demonstrations in support of undocumented immigrants when she was struck by a rubber bullet fired by a National Guard personnel. The footage, now widely circulated on social media, captures the moment Tomasi screams in pain and abruptly halts the live coverage with her cameraman.
According to the Associated Press, the reporter was clearly identified as press and posed no visible threat. The incident took place while she was standing in an open area, reporting peacefully. The sudden and unprovoked shot drew condemnation from journalist associations and press freedom advocates around the globe.
“I’m okay now, just some temporary pain,” Lauren Tomasi later said in a social media post. “Thankfully, there were no serious injuries, and my cameraman is also safe.” She added that despite the shock of the event, she remains committed to reporting from the frontlines.
9News released an official statement expressing concern over the incident and called for accountability. “This was an unacceptable attack on press freedom. Our journalists must be able to report without fear of violence,” the statement read.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and other international media watchdogs have also issued strong responses, urging U.S. authorities to investigate the incident and ensure the safety of media personnel covering protests.
This incident has reignited debates around the treatment of journalists during civil unrest in the United States, particularly when covering politically sensitive issues like immigration. Several past events have seen reporters injured or detained, raising concerns about growing hostility toward the press.
As protests continue in various U.S. cities, journalist safety has become a renewed focus, with media organizations demanding clear guidelines and stricter accountability for law enforcement agencies involved in crowd control operations.
The viral video, now shared millions of times across platforms, is being seen as a stark reminder of the risks journalists face in the field—and the urgent need to protect them.
