Reporter Shot During LA Riots

An Australian television correspondent was struck by a rubber bullet fired by Los Angeles police while covering mass protests that have gripped the city for three consecutive days.

Lauren Tomasi, a US correspondent for Nine Network, was reporting on the escalating demonstrations Sunday evening when she was hit by the projectile at close range. 

The incident occurred as she provided live coverage of the police response to the ongoing civil unrest.

“The LAPD are moving in on horseback and firing rubber bullets at protesters,” Tomasi stated during her broadcast. 

She was describing how officers were “moving them (protesters) on through the heart of LA” when multiple loud bangs could be heard in the background.

Video footage captured the moment when a police officer turned his weapon toward the journalist. 

A cloud of smoke appeared beside Tomasi, causing her to double over in apparent pain from the impact.

A protester at the scene shouted at nearby officers, “You just f***ing shot a reporter.” 

Several demonstrators stopped to check on Tomasi’s condition, with the reporter responding “I’m good, I’m good.”

Nine Network confirmed that Tomasi was “left sore but otherwise unharmed” by the rubber bullet strike. The journalist continued her coverage despite the incident.

The protests stem from opposition to President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement measures. 

Demonstrators have taken to the streets to voice their opposition to the administration’s crackdown on illegal aliens and operations conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Downtown Los Angeles has experienced significant disruption as protesters have chained themselves to furniture and created blockades. 

Cars have been set ablaze, emitting toxic gases and bringing traffic to a complete standstill in the city center.

The federal response has been substantial. 

Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to the area and placed 500 Marines on standby, Resist the Mainstream has reported. 

The Los Angeles Police Department has received authorization to use “less lethal munitions” as part of their efforts to restore order.

The situation has created a political confrontation between Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom. 

Newsom has accused the president of deliberately escalating tensions in the city.

Trump responded through a Truth Social post on Sunday, demanding apologies from both Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass regarding the riots. 

The president rejected characterizations of the participants as “peaceful protesters,” instead labeling them as “troublemakers and insurrectionists.”

The 101 Freeway became a major flashpoint earlier in the evening, Resist the Mainstream highlighted. 

More than 2,000 protesters took control of both northbound and southbound lanes, trapping motorists in standstill traffic as demonstrators marched with flags and signs.

Law enforcement officials in the Alameda and Temple areas reported that “people in the crowd are throwing concrete, bottles and other objects” at officers. 

The projectiles created additional hazards for authorities attempting to manage the situation.

At least two police officers sustained injuries when motorcyclists drove through the crowd and struck law enforcement personnel. 

Both riders were subsequently detained by police, while the injured officers received medical treatment at the scene.

Additional violence targeted law enforcement as officers were struck by fireworks while working to disperse crowds. 

Video footage showed protesters displaying three-dimensional replicas of Trump’s severed head mounted on poles, according to the Daily Mail.

Los Angeles City Hall became another center of tension as mounted police officers faced off with demonstrators. 

Local law enforcement expressed concerns about facing a “rough night” as the standoff continued.

Multiple arrests were made throughout the Civic Center area of Downtown Los Angeles as authorities worked to contain the spreading unrest. 

The protests represent the third consecutive day of significant civil disorder in the city.

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By Reece Walker

Reece Walker covers news and politics with a focus on exposing public and private policies proposed by governments, unelected globalists, bureaucrats, Big Tech companies, defense departments, and intelligence agencies.

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