Los Angeles Press Groups Sue Police Claiming Violation of Journalists’ Rights

Reporters claim the LAPD violated their rights after several were struck with rubber bullets during recent protests.

Law enforcement and demonstrators clash during a protest following federal immigration operations, in the Compton neighborhood of Los Angeles, Calif., early on June 8, 2025. Etienne Laurent / AFP

The Los Angeles Press Club and investigative reporting network Status Coup filed a federal lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on June 16, claiming officers violated journalists’ rights during last week’s violent protests.

“With today’s lawsuit, the L.A. Press Club is fighting for the rights of all of its nearly 1,000 members to report the news without risking their health and safety,” said Adam Rose, press rights chair of the club, a nonprofit organization that supports Southern California journalists.

The groups are represented pro bono by several law firms and the First Amendment Coalition.

Demonstrations against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Los Angeles and the surrounding area started on June 6 and quickly became violent as they dragged on for more than a week.

Journalists covering the protests have been shot with “less-lethal munitions” during the protests. Lauren Tomasi, a U.S. correspondent for Nine News, made headlines when a video on social media showed her being struck by a rubber bullet allegedly from police on June 9. She was working with a camera crew when she was shot in the back of her leg.

The LAPD announced it would investigate reports of Australian journalists being affected or struck by crowd control measures during the riots.

In another case, reporter Albeck-Ripka was allegedly shot in the torso with a rubber bullet as she was reporting for the New York Times on June 8.

The groups also claim a reporter for Capital & Main was struck in the abdomen by a projectile on June 9, and a journalist with Cal Matters was hit in the chest on June 8. The lawsuit also details incidents with five other journalists during the protests.

The LAPD has used tactics including foam rounds shot from a rifle, pepper spray, batons, and tasers to manage the large crowds and subdue violent protesters, aiming to minimize fatalities and serious injuries.

The lawsuit also claims journalists have been charged by horses and forcibly prevented from filming the riots.

“Our democracy depends on an informed public,” Carol Sobel, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, said in a statement on June 16. “When press rights are threatened, it’s the public that suffers.”

Law enforcement officers in riot gear advance during protests in Los Angeles on June 8, 2025. David Pashaee/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

The lawsuit claims “being a journalist in Los Angeles is now a dangerous profession,” and alleges the police department used abusive tactics and excessive force during the protests.

“Demonstrations are a frequent occurrence in Los Angeles,” the plaintiffs wrote in the lawsuit. “Many journalists identify themselves visually and/or verbally as members of the media so that they will not be subjected to excessive force or other constitutional violations. But such identification did not save them from assaults by law enforcement this past week.”

The groups are asking the court to issue a permanent injunction to prohibit the LAPD from engaging in “unlawful and unconstitutional” actions against journalists. They are also asking for the judge to declare LAPD violated the plaintiffs’ rights under the federal and state constitutions and statutory laws.

They are also asking for attorneys’ fees and to cover the cost of the lawsuit.

A spokesman for the LAPD told The Epoch Times on June 17 that the department does not comment on pending litigation.