L.A. Press Club Sues LAPD for Alleged Attacks on Journalists During ICE Protest Coverage (Photos courtesy of LAPC)
The Los Angeles Press Club (LAPC) and investigative reporting outlet Status Coup filed a federal lawsuit today against the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), accusing the department of violating journalists’ constitutional and state rights during recent protest coverage.
By News Desk
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleges that LAPD officers used excessive force and obstructed the work of journalists covering demonstrations sparked by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in the region.
According to the plaintiffs, reporters were shot with so-called “less-lethal” munitions, charged by police on horseback, and forcibly blocked from filming — actions they argue are clear violations of the First Amendment and California laws protecting press freedom.
“With today’s lawsuit, the L.A. Press Club is fighting for the rights of all of its nearly 1,000 members to report the news without risking their health and safety,” said Adam Rose, LAPC’s press rights chair.
The legal action is backed by a coalition of attorneys known for their work in civil rights and First Amendment law, including Carol Sobel, Weston Rowland, Susan Seager, the Law Office of Peter Bibring, Schonbrun Seplow Harris Hoffman & Zeldes LLP, and the First Amendment Coalition.
“Our democracy depends on an informed public. When press rights are threatened, it’s the public that suffers,” said lead counsel Carol Sobel.
The complaint cites violations of federal constitutional protections and state laws such as Senate Bill 98, which bars police from interfering with lawful press activities, and Assembly Bill 48, which restricts the use of kinetic projectiles and chemical agents for crowd control.
The case, Los Angeles Press Club v. City of Los Angeles, seeks to hold LAPD accountable and ensure stronger protections for journalists covering public demonstrations.
Leave a Reply