Police Misuse of Rubber Bullets Injures Journalists During LA Protests

Journalist Injuries from Less-Lethal Rounds

• 📸 Multiple reporters have been struck by rubber bullets fired by police during Los Angeles protests, with some sustaining serious injuries.
• 🤕 Toby Canham, a photographer for the New York Post, was hit in the forehead by a California Highway Patrol officer and required hospital treatment for whiplash and neck pain.
• 🦵 British news photographer Nick Stern underwent emergency surgery after a plastic bullet tore into his thigh.
• 📍 Australian US News correspondent Lauren Te Massey was hit in the leg but reported being okay.
• 🛡️ Homeland Security agents reportedly shot LA Daily News crime reporter Ryan Mina and videographer Sean Beckner car with pepper ball bullets.

Misuse of Less-Lethal Weaponry

• ⚠️ "Less lethal" rounds, while not intended to kill, can still be lethal if misused.
• 🎯 Rubber bullets are designed to be shot at the ground, not directly at human beings, to lose momentum upon impact.
• 🚫 Police officers are reportedly aiming directly at human bodies, ignoring training and protocol for the use of these weapons.
• 🚨 This misuse of force is occurring during protests, which are often not riots, and raises serious concerns about officer conduct and public safety.
• 🗣️ The speaker notes a lack of media coverage on the specific issue of police aiming these weapons incorrectly at individuals.

Erosion of Public Trust

• 📉 The intentional disregard for training and protocol by officers in using these weapons contributes to a loss of faith in law enforcement.
• ⚖️ The improper use of less-lethal rounds on journalists highlights a broader problem with how police are managing crowd control during demonstrations.