Nine News confirms correspondent Lauren Tomasi is safe after being struck while covering the Los Angeles protests
Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi was struck by a rubber bullet while reporting on escalating Los Angeles protests on Sunday. The Nine News US correspondent was delivering a live broadcast when the projectile hit her leg, a moment that has since gone viral online.
Incident caught on live camera during protest crackdown
The incident occurred amid growing unrest over President Donald Trump’s decision to assume federal control of California’s National Guard and deploy troops to Los Angeles. As demonstrators clashed with law enforcement in the city’s downtown district, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) declared the area an unlawful assembly and began dispersing crowds using non-lethal munitions and mounted patrols.
In the footage, Tomasi is heard narrating the deteriorating situation: “After hours of standing off, this situation has now rapidly deteriorated, the LAPD moving in on horseback, firing rubber bullets at protesters, moving them on through the heart of LA.”
Immediately after, a bystander can be heard shouting at officers:
“You just fucking shot the reporter!”
Someone nearby checks on Tomasi’s condition, to which she calmly replies, “I’m good.”
Network reaffirms support, stresses danger of frontline reporting
Following the incident, Nine News issued a statement confirming the safety of both Tomasi and her camera operator.
“This incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent dangers journalists can face while reporting from the frontlines of protests, underscoring the importance of their role in providing vital information,” the network said, as quoted by The Guardian.
Despite the risks, Tomasi and her team are expected to continue their coverage of the evolving situation.
Escalating unrest in California amid controversial federal intervention
Sunday’s protests were sparked by President Trump’s unprecedented move to send federal troops into California without the state’s request — a step that has drawn fierce criticism from local leaders. Governor Gavin Newsom labeled the deployment “purposefully inflammatory“, while political observers have called it one of the most aggressive federal intrusions into a state’s affairs in decades.
The LAPD’s order to vacate the downtown area was posted to X (formerly Twitter):
“You are to leave the downtown area immediately.”
President Trump has also directed federal agents to arrest any masked protestors, prompting further condemnation from civil liberties groups. Authorities in riot gear and on horseback patrolled the city, while tensions flared near federal buildings and immigrant neighborhoods.
Protest follows migrant arrests and federal crackdown
The unrest follows a weekend of confrontations that began after federal agents detained dozens of migrants in Los Angeles, a city with a large Latino population. Officers deployed flash-bang grenades and tear gas in an effort to disperse crowds.
Since taking office in January, President Trump has pursued a hardline immigration agenda, referring to undocumented migrants as “monsters“ and “animals.” Sunday’s crackdown and the aggressive use of force mark a volatile escalation in the administration’s campaign against undocumented immigration.
As protests continue, journalists like Lauren Tomasi remain on the frontlines, documenting a critical and deeply polarizing moment in American history.
