Australian Journalist Injured While Covering LA Protest, Speaks Out with Grace
In a shocking moment captured live on camera, Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi of Nine News was struck by a rubber bullet fired by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) during protests outside the Metropolitan Detention Center on June 9, 2025. Tomasi was reporting on demonstrations related to immigration raids and the controversial deployment of Marines in Los Angeles when the incident occurred.
Trump apologists like @JDVance and even @elonmusk are calling it "law and order" as an Australian member of the press is deliberately shot with a rubber bullet by armed militia in Los Angeles | #LARiots pic.twitter.com/wRMYaiyi4z
— Toby Forage 🤙 (@foraggio) June 9, 2025
Despite being visibly marked as press and doing her job from a non-confrontational position, an LAPD officer aimed and fired, hitting her in the calf. The footage—now viral—shows Tomasi recoiling in pain but quickly regaining composure, saying, “I’m good,” before exiting the frame.
Her response afterwards, however, was what captured hearts around the world. In a post on X, Tomasi wrote: “I’m a bit sore, but I’m OK. Important we keep on telling the stories that need to be told.” Her powerful message has reignited a global conversation about press freedom, media safety, and law enforcement accountability.
Growing Press Safety Concerns After LAPD Targets Reporters at LA Protest
Tomasi was not the only journalist affected during the LAPD crackdown. ABC Australia’s Lauren Day also confirmed she was exposed to tear gas during the same police advance, despite standing in clearly designated media areas. The LAPD’s crowd-control tactics during the protest—declared an unlawful assembly—included mounted officers, tear gas, and rubber bullets.
ABC correspondent Lauren Day and her crew have been tear-gassed by police as they used it to disperse crowds in the Los Angeles protests.
— Misinformation Fact Checker (@MisinfoFact) June 10, 2025
Lauren Day describing what happened.#auspol pic.twitter.com/ySNvw77ZFl
Eyewitnesses say the rally was largely peaceful until late afternoon, when tensions escalated over President Trump’s immigration enforcement order and the deployment of Marines to Los Angeles streets. Protesters accused police of excessive force, especially after footage emerged of journalists and non-violent demonstrators being targeted.
The LAPD has since launched an internal review, with Chief Jim McDonnell stating the department is “very concerned” about the officer’s conduct. Still, advocacy groups and international media watchdogs argue that these repeated incidents show a pattern of negligence in handling credentialed press at public demonstrations.
Australia Reacts Swiftly as Global Outrage Grows Over Attack on Journalist
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the incident “horrific” and personally reached out to Lauren Tomasi to check on her well-being. He also issued a formal statement to the U.S. administration, calling the targeting of media professionals “completely unacceptable.”
Meanwhile, the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) in Australia condemned the act as an “apparently deliberate assault on press freedom”, urging both governments to ensure journalist protections are not just rhetorical, but enforceable. Nine Network CEO Matt Stanton has confirmed the network will support any inquiry and prioritise crew safety for all future assignments.
As the video continues to be shared across the globe—garnering millions of views—calls are growing for an overhaul of U.S. protest policing norms, especially regarding the use of non-lethal weapons near media personnel.
Tomasi’s calm and courageous response stands as a reminder: while the bullet may have bruised her, it couldn’t silence her. And for many watching, her message was louder than the shot itself.
