Judge Rules IN FAVOR of Status Coup, Bans LAPD From Shooting at Journalists
In response to our lawsuit against the city of LA and LAPD, Judge Hernan Vera issued a temporary injunction banning the LAPD from firing "less lethal" ammunition at journalists
Hey folks, it’s Jordan.
Excited to share a ruling that came down yesterday from a federal judge in Los Angeles in favor of Status Coup and our co-plaintiff Los Angeles Press Club in our lawsuit against the city of LA and LAPD. The judge issues a temporary injunction banning the LAPD from using so-called “less lethal” ammunition against journalists covering ICE protests including rubber bullets, chemical gas, and flash-bang grenades.
Although a small victory—one we shouldn’t have to even fight for—this is a victory nonetheless. To remind you, cops shot at our reporter Tina-Desiree Berg while she was ON-THE-GROUND covering ICE raid protests; they also struck several other journalists, seriously injuring several.
From the Judge’s injunction ruling:
“Defendants contend in the main that these media-related incidents in June are old news, and cavil there is no upcoming “emergency” to justify such an order. The Court disagrees. Plaintiffs have shown a likelihood of success on their First Amendment claims and they are likely to suffer irreparable harm covering continuing protests in Los Angeles. Indeed, given the fundamental nature of the speech interests involved and the almost daily protests throughout Southern California drawing media coverage, the identified harm is undoubtedly imminent and concrete. The Application is granted, with the modifications and additions noted below. The Court will issue a briefing schedule for a preliminary injunction hearing.”
Credit to our reporter Tina-Desiree Berg for her— continued aggressive and fearless ON-THE-GROUND reporting in Los Angeles—and beyond—and her tenacity to run up in front of potential danger in order to make sure you, the people, see what’s really going on in America. We would like to deliver more reporting from Tina, and others, ON-THE-GROUND, so if you value independent in-the-trenches journalism—the kind not just doing stenography for politicians and corporations—SIGN UP AS A PAYING MEMBER for Status Coup for as low as $5 bucks a month (16 cents a day).
WATCH MY VIDEO REPORT on the injunction:
“Less Lethal” is an oxymoron. Lethal is lethal, i.e. it can kill. It infuriates me when the State apparatus uses weasel words like that. A Samurai sword is “less lethal” than an AR15 Semi automatic rifle, but it’s still f-cking lethal.
Congratufuckinlations bro! That's fantastic. And to JPQ up there, or down there👇, their lawsuit shines light on the problem and a judge has spoken up in Status Coup 's defense. That's a good thing. Regardless of weasel words.