Australian Reporter Shot by LAPD with Rubber Bullet During LA Protest

An Australian television journalist, Lauren Tomasi of Nine News, was struck by a rubber bullet fired by Los Angeles police while covering a protest outside the Metropolitan Detention Center.

The demonstration, held in opposition to federal immigration raids by ICE, escalated when police declared it an unlawful assembly.

Officers responded with riot control tactics, including tear gas, mounted units, and rubber bullets.

Tomasi was reporting live from the scene when she was hit in the leg. Footage aired by Nine News showed her describing the advancing police presence before she cried out in pain and fell back after being struck.

She later confirmed she was “sore but safe” and that her cameraman was also unharmed.

The incident has sparked widespread concern about press safety and police use of force during protests.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is monitoring the situation, and Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to raise the issue directly with U.S. officials at the upcoming G7 summit.

“This is not acceptable. Journalists must be able to report freely without fear of violence, especially from law enforcement,” Hanson-Young said.

The LAPD has not issued a statement addressing the specific incident involving Tomasi but maintained that its actions followed standard procedures after the protest was declared unlawful.

Media rights advocates have condemned the shooting and called for a full investigation, warning that the growing use of “less-lethal” weapons against journalists poses a serious threat to press freedom.

The protest is part of a broader wave of demonstrations across the U.S. against immigration enforcement practices and police conduct.