Overview

• U.S. District Judge Hernán D. Vera issued the July 10 order barring the LAPD from using less‐lethal munitions, tear gas, flash‐bangs or detaining journalists covering immigration protests.
• The ruling cites at least 35 incidents between June 6 and 19 in which officers allegedly targeted clearly identifiable reporters with rubber bullets and other crowd‐control measures.
• In his 14-page filing, Judge Vera determined that media groups are likely to succeed on their First Amendment claims and that the reported actions posed imminent harm to press freedoms.
• The Los Angeles Press Club and Status Coup filed the lawsuit after ICE enforcement operations in Los Angeles triggered daily demonstrations across Southern California.
• A July 24 hearing will decide whether the temporary restraining order is extended into a preliminary injunction to protect reporters for the duration of the protests.