Journalists Attacked by LAPD During Protests — What Legal Rights Are at Stake?

Police officers are subject to restraints on when they may use force and against whom they may use it. The Los Angeles County police misconduct attorneys at Skapik Law Group can fight for justice if you were a victim of excessive or wrongful use of force.

In the recent protests regarding immigration raids in Los Angeles, numerous journalists were injured when the Los Angeles Police Department used force. This use of force may have potentially violated numerous legal rights that journalists possess under both state and federal law. Those who have been injured due to excessive law enforcement use of force may even be able to file a lawsuit.

Stand up for your legal rights by speaking with a California police misconduct lawyer at Skapik Law Group by calling us at (909) 398-4404. We can learn more about what happens and advise you about whether you have a potential lawsuit.

Journalists Were Subjected to Force During Recent Protests

Los Angeles will be feeling the effects of the recent immigration protests and National Guard deployment for a considerable amount of time. One major impact was the harm done to freedom of the press and a journalist’s right to cover protests and civil disturbances. Some journalists were even attacked by the Los Angeles Police Department when they were simply trying to do their jobs. One study found that there were more than ninety attacks on journalists during 2025.

Recently, Los Angelenos protested ICE raids in the city en masse. The events were extensively covered by journalists, who paid their own price for bringing the story to the public. There were numerous instances in which journalists were subjected to the use of force by the LAPD. Several journalists were shot by rubber bullets, including one who was struck in the head. Many suffered serious injuries as a result of the use of force. A federal judge even issued a restraining order to curtail the use of tear gas and rubber bullets and the arrests of journalists who were not posing a threat to law enforcement officers.

The Constitution and California Law Allow Journalists to Do Their Jobs

Journalists have a legal right to do their jobs under both state and federal law. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is applicable to journalists when they are covering protests. Specifically, recording police officers in public is protected under the freedom of speech doctrine. In addition, the right to peaceful assembly also provides protection to journalists when they are reporting on a protest.

Journalists covering protests also received specific protections under California state law. Section 409.7 of the California Penal Code prohibits law enforcement from intentionally obstructing, arresting, or using force against “duly authorized” media who are gathering or transmitting information. The law applies to those who are present at demonstrations, protests, rallies, or other emergency scenes, so long as they do not pose a threat to law enforcement. Recent changes to this law expanded the scope of protections to journalists who are covering protests, as opposed to the prior law, which applied to natural disasters and certain emergencies. The reason why the law is found in the penal code is that it is actually a crime for law enforcement to interfere with journalists under certain circumstances.

There are some limits to the protections afforded by this section. Journalists cannot engage in protest activity themselves. They also cannot interfere with law enforcement operations. However, police officers have been known to subject journalists to force, either when they are doing nothing wrong or based on a very aggressive interpretation of a reporter’s actions.

Lawsuits for Police Misconduct Directed at Journalists

There have been numerous lawsuits that have been filed against the LAPD for their conduct that has interfered with journalists or injured them. For example, the Los Angeles Press Club has filed a case that alleges that the LAPD interfered with journalists’ First Amendment rights.

If you are a journalist who has been injured by illegal Police use of force, you may also be able to file a lawsuit against the police department directly. Your lawsuit could be based on the following federal and state legal theories:

• Civil rights lawsuits, because a journalist has the right to report the news
• Fourth Amendment lawsuit for excessive use of force
• California Bane Act claims for violations of their civil rights
• California Tort Claims Act, for injuries that have been caused by police departments

A police misconduct attorney in California can review your case and determine whether you can file a lawsuit as an injured journalist.

Contact a Los Angeles County Police Misconduct Law Firm

Whether you are a journalist, or any other citizen whose rights have been violated by law enforcement, get legal help from a police misconduct attorney at Skapik Law Group. The first step towards getting justice and accountability is scheduling a free initial consultation with us, and you can do that by messaging us online or by calling us today at (909) 398-4404.