Journalists, news reporters, and photographers have taken, some would argue, one of the riskiest jobs there are. They are the reason we can know what’s going on in the world, and make up most of the media we consume on average. These people are often going to dangerous places, and sometimes being injured in the process just to get the truth of a situation that could very much be changing your day-by-day! Even if not recording a literal hurricane, daily situations like peaceful protests can pose a significant danger.
A TikTok of an Australian newswoman, Lauren Tomasi, has gone viral after she was shot by a non-lethal rubber bullet fired by an officer controlling the crowd. The video came from her cameraman, and right after she’s explaining the current situation of police and protesters, an officer in the background can be seen turning to her, aiming his gun, and shooting her leg. Though her reaction seemed to be from pain, she wasn’t fully injured. A similar situation happened the previous Monday night, according to Tomasi, when she and her camera crew were caught in a crossfire. The group of journalists/bystanders was sprayed with tear gas, and the cameraman was shot in the chest with a non-lethal bullet. Tomasi speaks about how the situations were not what she had expected from the protest at all, as quoted in The Guardian. Lauren Tomasi is an Australian journalist, a correspondent for Nine News Australia, originally working for 9News Sydney before relocating to LA. The officer in the video is still under investigation, like multiple other officers being tracked by Human Rights Watch.
Marshall Woodruff, a photographer and filmmaker, had attended the No King’s protest in LA to document the rally. President Donald Trump, quoting it as a rebellion, had ordered the National Guard to regulate crowd control. Violence had started from all parties, individuals taking away the peace, whether they took part in the protest or even as an officer. As the National Guard advanced with non-lethal weapons, Woodruff was shot in the eye by a rubber bullet, not knowing the area was being swept by police. Woodruff was taken to the hospital, and his eyeball was put under a 5-hour-long surgery for reconstruction. As of now, the severe injury has led even doctors to be unsure about how Woodruff’s eyesight will recover during the healing process, potentially leaving the journalist blind. (News Source)
Another incident similar to Lauren Tomasi, where an officer is visibly seen pointing at the press, happened to 59-year-old Toby Canham. Canham is a veteran photographer, a part of the British army, and stationed out of LA. Canham stood on elevated ground near a highway where rioters were setting self-driving cars on fire with his camera. Canham was recording the chaos and caught a highway-control officer turning to point his gun at him and shooting a non-lethal bullet right at his forehead. In the video given to the New York Post, the bullet is caught in broad daylight, hitting Canham’s forehead. Canham was left with a whiplash and a gash-looking bruise right above his nose bridge, which left him questioning what would have happened if the bullet had hit his mouth or eyes. Canham was not doing anything threatening and was not directly on the highway where officers were trying to control the crowd. Canham showed empathy, understanding the stress in a situation where you can be injured by bricks, bottles, and other things the rioters were throwing at the police officers, but left no sympathy or regard for the officer who shot him, an innocent bystander, at random. Various figures with power did not comment during the investigation.
When you think about journalism, you wouldn’t normally think of it as a risk-taking job, but in reality, it’s dangerous, and can even result in near-death experiences. The LA protesting is only an example of journalists being injured. Journalists are constantly being in danger, but what is the reasoning for sacrificing themselves? Ethical journalists want to spread news fast and quickly, so others can stay informed. It’s worth the risk, especially if only the truth is trying to be found. Journalists, photographers, and other jobs fitting the category benefit the average day-to-day person by giving news and updates about the world surrounding them, including you.
