The Los Angeles Press Club and two news organizations have sued Los Angeles County in federal court Wednesday, alleging the Sheriff's Department has targeted media members with non-lethal but dangerous munitions and engaged in excessive force against its members who have covered recent protests -- a similar suit was filed earlier in the week against the city's police department.
"These journalists were not engaged in protest or unlawful activity and were exercising their First Amendment rights and safeguarding the First Amendment rights of all members of the community," the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court states.
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An LASD representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The suit contains several color photos of media members whose injuries allegedly occurred when hit by LASD munitions.
The lawsuit alleges that the LASD's use of what the plaintiffs deem are dangerous munitions in downtown Los Angeles was so chaotic that one LAPD officer was heard on the department's radio scanner saying that Los Angeles Police Department officers were being tear-gassed and shot with LASD munitions.
"We're still taking gas and less-lethal munitions from the sheriffs over on Temple and Main," one LAPD officer was heard to say via an said LAPD radio, according to the suit, which further states that the LAPD officer pleads with the LASD to hold their fire.
The civil rights suit seeks attorneys' fees and injunctive relief preventing such alleged behavior by the LASD during future protests covered by the media.
A previous suit, filed by the Los Angeles Press Club and investigative reporting network Status Coup alleged the LAPD and its chief of violating reporters' rights while they were covering recent immigration raids and subsequent civil unrest.
"Being a journalist in Los Angeles is now a dangerous profession," according to the suit.
"This case responds to the continuing abuse, including the use of excessive force, by Los Angeles Police Department officers during recent protests. ... These journalists were not engaged in protest or unlawful activity and were exercising their First Amendment rights and safeguarding the First Amendment rights of all members of the community."
Plaintiffs contend that the LAPD "has a long and entrenched history of using force to obstruct freedom of the press" and the recent protests "continues this long and disgraceful history of unconstitutional actions against journalists."
An LAPD representative said the department does not comment on pending litigation.
The suit was filed on behalf of the Los Angeles Press Club, which has more than 1,000 member journalists and news organizations in Southern California. Status Coup is an independent investigative reporting network and media outlet that focuses on in-field and investigative work.
Status Coup reporters were allegedly subjected to excessive force, including being struck by various "less-lethal" projectiles as they attempted to record the LAPD officers' response to the protests.
In addition, the group's reporters were barred by the LAPD from areas of the protests where, by law, they should have been permitted access, the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles federal court, alleges.
The suit seeks a preliminary and permanent injunction against the LAPD, a judge's finding that the defendants' alleged conduct violated federal and state constitutional and statutory laws, and other relief the court deems proper.
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