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The federal judge granted a temporary restraining order that blocked reporters from using rubber projectiles and other so-called less lethal ammunition against Trump’s administration’s protests against immigrant crackdown.
In a ruling released Friday, US District Judge Hernan D. Bella said the coalition of reporters’ rights agencies argued that a court injunction was necessary to protect journalists and others who exercise the First Amendment.
The Los Angeles Press Club and the Investigation Report Network Status Coup filed a lawsuit last month to “force the LAPD to respect the constitutional and statutory authority of journalists reporting on these and inevitable protests.” The lawsuit challenged “continuous abuse” by police, the media members responsible for the demonstrations.
Vera’s orders prohibit the use of less lethal ammunition and other crowd control tools. “To journalists who do not pose any threat of impending harm to executives or others,” including chemical stimulants and flash bang hand-rena bombs.
“In some cases, LAPD officers are said to have targeted individuals who could clearly be identified as members of the media,” Bella wrote.
The judge cited the June 8 incident in downtown demonstrations by an Australian reporter named Lauren Tomasi. The name Lauren Tomasi is closed for live television reports and is dozens of feet away from the executive line.
“There are no protesters near her,” Vera wrote. “Nevertheless, LAPD officers appeared to be aiming for a tomasi and slammed their foot with a rubber bullet.”
The judge ruled that the LAPD cannot prohibit journalists from entering or staying in protest areas that have been generally closed while collecting, receiving or processing information.
The order also prohibits intentionally “assault, interfere or interfere with journalists who are collecting, receiving or processing information for communication with the public.”
Supporters of the Free Press, who filed the lawsuit, praised the judge’s decision.
“The press did not mistakenly hurt the immigrant protests. They were intentionally hurt,” Attorney Carol Sobel said. “It’s amazing to me that there are so many times at the same time as LAPD.”
City counsels may challenge the order before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
LAPD chief Jim McDonnell said he was “very worried” about cases where journalists were targeted by police munitions and vowed that each case would be investigated. He said he does not believe officers are aiming to become reporters with less lethal weapons.
“It’s a target-specific munition,” he told reporters at a press conference. “That doesn’t mean you’re always hitting your intended target, especially in dynamic situations.”
According to Vera’s order, if LAPD detains or arrests a person identifying itself as a journalist, the person can contact a supervisor and challenge him to detention. The order also required that the LAPD report the details of officers notified of the new rules to the court. The judge set up a provisional injunction hearing on July 24th. There, both sides argue the merits of the lawsuit.
The lawsuit denies LAPD in Flouting’s law passed as a result of Flouting’s laws passed in the wake of the 2020 protests over the 2020 murder of George Floyd when journalists were detained and injured by the LAPD while covering their anxiety.
Apart from journalists, many protesters claim that the LAPD projectiles left them with severe bruises, lacerations and serious injuries.
Under restrictions ordered by the judge on Friday, police said, “Only if they reasonably trust a suspect is resisting a violent arrest or reasonably believe it will pose an immediate threat of violence or physical harm. Officials are also prohibited from targeting people in their heads, torso and gro diameters.
Times staff writer Libor Jany contributed to this report.
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