Australian Journalist Hit by LAPD Rubber Bullet During Chaotic LA Immigration Protests
Journalist Injured Amid Explosive LA Street Clashes
Things got out of hand quickly on June 8, 2025, when downtown Los Angeles became the epicenter of heated protests following controversial ICE raids. In the chaos, Lauren Tomasi—a U.S. correspondent for Australia's 9 News—became part of the story. Right in the middle of her live coverage, LAPD officers opened fire with rubber bullets, one of which struck Tomasi in the leg. Video from the scene showed her wincing but refusing to back down, reassuring viewers with a brief, 'I'm good,' before pushing through with the broadcast.
The incident didn’t just show the unpredictability of protests, but also the tricky balancing act police have when things spiral. The protests, which erupted on June 6 after dozens were detained across Los Angeles in coordinated federal raids, quickly ramped up into a citywide showdown. People took to the streets, and within days, the situation had escalated from vocal demonstrations to outright confrontation. Protesters blocked major freeways—making LA's monster traffic even worse than usual—and, in a show of anger, set several self-driving cars ablaze. Smoke and sirens became the city’s background noise.
LAPD Crowd Control Tactics Draw Scrutiny
Law enforcement wasn’t messing around. With President Trump’s call for National Guard deployment still hanging heavy in the air, the LAPD moved in hard on the crowds. On top of rubber bullets, officers unleashed tear gas and flash bangs to break up the protesters. In the confusion, it wasn’t just demonstrators who caught the police response—journalists like Tomasi got caught in the firing line. She was without any protective gear, which just highlighted how risky these assignments can get, even for seasoned reporters used to conflict zones.
Her employer, 9 News Australia, quickly released a statement, doubling down on their stance that telling these stories matters—no matter how dangerous things get. They flagged the attack as a reminder: press freedom isn’t just something to debate in courtrooms; it’s something lived, painfully, on the ground.
By the time the smoke settled, dozens had been arrested, with protest leaders and civil rights groups pointing to heavy-handed tactics by law enforcement. No serious injuries were reported, but tensions between activists and the city's police just keep growing after incidents like this. Tomasi’s resilience and quick return to her report gave viewers a firsthand taste of what frontline reporting actually means—standing with one foot in the news, the other in harm’s way.