Journalists covering immigration raids and protests allege unlawful use of force in suit against LAPD
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Press Club and investigative reporting network Status Coup on Monday sued the Los Angeles Police Department and its chief, alleging in federal court that reporters’ rights were violated by police while covering recent immigration raids and subsequent civil unrest.
“Being a journalist in Los Angeles is now a dangerous profession,” according to the suit.
“This case responds to the continuing abuse, including the use of excessive force, by Los Angeles Police Department officers during recent protests… These journalists were not engaged in protest or unlawful activity and were exercising their First Amendment rights and safeguarding the First Amendment rights of all members of the community.”
Plaintiffs contend that the LAPD “has a long and entrenched history of using force to obstruct freedom of the press” and the recent protests “continues this long and disgraceful history of unconstitutional actions against journalists.”
An LAPD representative said the department does not comment on pending litigation.
The suit was filed on behalf of the Los Angeles Press Club, which has more than 1,000 member journalists and news organizations in Southern California.
Status Coup is an independent investigative reporting network and media outlet that focuses on in-field and investigative work.
Status Coup reporters were allegedly subjected to excessive force, including being struck by various “less-lethal” projectiles as they attempted to record the LAPD officers’ response to the protests.
In addition, the group’s reporters were barred by the LAPD from areas of the protests where, by law, they should have been permitted access, the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles federal court, alleges.
Journalists covering protests have also been charged by horses and forcibly prevented from filming, the First Amendment Coalition said in a Monday statement.
The suit seeks a preliminary and permanent injunction against the LAPD, a judge’s finding that the defendants’ alleged conduct violated federal and state constitutional and statutory laws, and other relief the court deems proper.