Press groups warn federal agents may have violated journalists’ First Amendment rights in LA

A handful of First Amendment advocacy groups are raising concerns about the treatment of journalists covering the ongoing protests in Los Angeles over federal immigration enforcement in the area by police.

In a letter dated Tuesday and sent to the Department of Homeland Security, the First Amendment Coalition, Freedom of the Press Foundation and National Press Club wrote “to express alarm that federal officers may have violated the First Amendment rights of journalists covering recent protests and unrest related to immigration enforcement in the Los Angeles area.”

“A number of reports suggest that federal officers have indiscriminately used force or deployed
munitions such as tear gas or pepper balls that caused significant injuries to journalists,” the groups wrote in their letter. “In some cases, federal officers appear to have deliberately targeted journalists who were doing nothing more than their job covering the news.”

Many of the demonstrations in Los Angeles have turned violent, with protestors setting cars on fire and getting into tense confrontations with police.

President Trump has called in National Guard troops to quell the violence and clashed with the state’s governor over the crisis.

“To the extent that officers may lawfully use force against certain individuals who commit illegal acts, the force must be limited to responding to the conduct of those individuals, not used indiscriminately,” the groups wrote to DHS. “To avoid any further First Amendment violations, please immediately ensure that any federal officers or personnel, or anyone acting under their direction and control, refrain from any unlawful, indiscriminate, and excessive use of force against members of the press and public who are merely covering events of public concern in the Los Angeles area.”

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.