Key Points

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has raised serious concerns about the shooting of journalist Lauren Tomasi during Los Angeles protests. The Nine Network reporter was hit by a rubber bullet while covering demonstrations, prompting immediate diplomatic engagement from Canberra. Albanese personally spoke with Tomasi and described the incident as "horrific" while demanding accountability from US authorities. The episode highlights growing international scrutiny of journalist safety during public demonstrations.

Key Points: Albanese Demands US Probe Lauren Tomasi Reporter Shooting

  • Lauren Tomasi shot while reporting LA protests
  • Albanese directly contacted journalist after incident
  • US administration contacted about shooting
  • Media safety raised as critical concern
2 min read

Australia raises shooting of reporter in LA with US

Australian PM confronts US over rubber bullet attack on Nine Network journalist during LA protest coverage

"We don't find it acceptable that it occurred. - Anthony Albanese, Australian Prime Minister"

Canberra, June 10

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that his government has spoken with the US administration about the shooting of an Australian reporter with rubber bullets in Los Angeles.

Television news reporter Lauren Tomasi was covering the ongoing protests in Los Angeles for Australia's Nine Network News on Sunday local time when she was shot in the leg with a rubber bullet fired by a police officer in the city's downtown district.

Albanese on Tuesday described the footage of the incident, which was published by Nine and showed the officer taking aim towards Tomasi and firing, as "horrific."

"I spoke with Lauren this morning. She's going OK. She's pretty resilient," he said.

"We have already raised these issues with the US administration. We don't find it acceptable that it occurred. And we think that the role of the media is particularly important."

Albanese's comments came during a major speech to the National Press Club in Canberra in which he laid out his Labor Party government's agenda following May's general election.

Albanese said on Tuesday that the policies that Labor took to the election would be the "foundation" of its second term but not the "limit" of the party's vision.

"The way we deal with big challenges and opportunities from our first term, from economic growth and productivity to the energy transition, will continue to evolve," he said.

He announced that the government will convene experts, trade unions and business leaders in Canberra in August to brainstorm ideas to stimulate economic growth and productivity, Xinhua news agency reported.

Albanese said that he wanted the dialogue to produce "concrete and tangible action" that would lead to long-term and lasting change.

The prime minister previously announced that the new term of the federal parliament will formally be opened on July 22 and that Labor's first priority will be legislation to deliver its pledge to cut student loan debts by 20 per cent.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
This is unacceptable behavior by US police. Journalists must be protected while doing their duty, whether in America or anywhere else. India has seen similar incidents during protests - authorities must show restraint. Hope the reporter recovers soon.
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Priya M.
While I condemn the shooting, I wonder why our media isn't covering this as much as they cover similar incidents in India? Double standards exist everywhere. The Australian PM's quick response shows how leaders should stand with their citizens abroad 🇦🇺
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Arjun S.
Rubber bullets can cause serious injuries - I saw what happened during our farmers' protests. The US often lectures others about press freedom but needs to look at its own record. Hope this incident leads to better training for police worldwide.
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Sunita T.
As a journalism student, this scares me 😟 Press should never be targeted. The Australian government's strong stance is commendable. In India too, we need better protection for reporters in conflict zones - whether covering protests or border areas.
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Vikram J.
The US needs to practice what it preaches about human rights. But let's not forget our own challenges - Indian journalists face threats too. This should be a wake-up call for all democracies to protect media freedom.
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Neha P.
While the shooting is wrong, we must also consider the difficult conditions police work in during protests. The officer should be held accountable, but solutions should focus on better crowd control training rather than just blame game.

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