Several journalists have filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), claiming excessive use of force and press freedom violations during coverage of recent protests.
The lawsuit was jointly filed on June 17 by the LA Press Club, a local journalist association, and Status Coup, an investigative news organization. The legal action targets both the LAPD and its police chief, citing repeated failures to protect journalists’ rights while they were reporting at protest sites.
The plaintiffs argue that LAPD officers assaulted journalists and restricted access to protest locations during recent demonstrations against immigration enforcement. Among the plaintiffs is Sangjin Kim, a reporter for The Korea Daily, who was struck in the back by a rubber bullet fired by LAPD officers while covering a protest in Koreatown, a neighborhood with a large Korean American population, on June 11. The Korea Daily sent a formal protest letter to the LAPD on June 13, demanding measures to prevent recurrence, but the department has yet to respond.
The complaint states, “LAPD has repeatedly infringed upon press freedom, especially during recent protests, through excessive use of less-lethal weapons, access restrictions, and obstruction of reporting.” It adds that “all injured journalists were engaged in lawful reporting activities and were not participating in any illegal conduct.”
Status Coup reported that its journalists were injured by rubber bullets and were physically blocked from accessing protest areas, thereby violating their legally protected right to report.
The LA Press Club emphasized that “being a journalist in LA is becoming increasingly dangerous,” and described the lawsuit as a necessary measure to protect freedom of the press in the local community.
When asked for comment, the LAPD stated only that it does not issue statements regarding ongoing litigation.
The plaintiffs are requesting that the court declare LAPD’s actions unconstitutional. They are also seeking preliminary and permanent injunctions to prevent similar incidents in the future, in addition to damages and other legal remedies.
Separately, the First Amendment Coalition issued a statement in support of the lawsuit, noting that journalists frequently face threats from mounted police and interference while filming during protests.
BY BRIAN CHOI [choi.inseong@koreadaily.com]
