Federal Judge Extends Protection for Journalists & โprotestersโข at โคDemonstrations
A federal judge has issued โan order barring federal agents from targeting reporters,legal observers,adn peaceful protesters with crowd control weapons during demonstrations,stating the First Amendment “deservesโข better.” U.S. District Judge โฃHernรกn D.Vera extended restrictions initially put in place in July, citing a pattern of “indiscriminate and surprisingly savage” use of โforce.
The ruling โฃfollows argumentsโ fromโข lawyersโฃ representing the Department of Homeland Securityโ and theโ City of Los Angeles, who โฃclaimedโ its oftenโฃ impossible โtoโข differentiate journalists from protesters during chaotic events and that a broad ban would endanger law enforcement. Judge Vera โคwas unmoved, emphasizing that โขfederal agents have “endangeredโค large numbers โof peaceful protestorsโฆand โjournalists-asโค well as the publicโ that relies on them โขto hold their government accountable.”
Theโ order specifically prohibits the use of hard-foam projectile launchers, โขtear gas, stun grenades, and โbatons against these groups unless forceโข is necessary to preventโค “immediate and serious threat of physical harm.” โฃโข A similar injunction was issued Thursday โagainst the โคLos Angeles Police Department, prompted by incidents of โreporters โคbeing injured by police batons less than a month afterโ a temporary restraining orderโค was first issued.
This decision is a important win for press rights organizations who argued judicial intervention was needed toโ address ongoingโ abuses. โ “As the federal government began its violent, chaotic invasion ofโฃ Southern California, our communities โฃhaveโ risen togetherโฃ to bear witness,” said Adrienna Wong โof the ACLU of Southern California.
Judge โVeraโ expects federal authorities to disseminate theโค order toโค all officers and agents in the field, and warned that launching tear gas canisters “directly atโค peopleโฆwillโ undoubtedly chill the media’s effortsโ to cover these public events.” the ruling also extendsโ protection to protesters who are not posing an imminent threat.
