A dramatic encounter unfolded in the heart of Los Angeles, where an LAPD officer and ABC News correspondent Matt Gutman found themselves in a tense exchange during a live broadcast amidst ongoing riots.
The incident took place near a federal building, a focal point for protests ignited by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations aimed at deporting illegal immigrants.
As reported by The Gateway Pundit, the confrontation was captured on video, showing an LAPD officer accusing Gutman of making aggressive contact with a fellow officer. The officer emphatically declared, You touched my partner! Dont touch my partner! Im letting you know! Dont touch him! and proceeded to push the reporter away. Gutman, broadcasting live, responded, Youre pushing me on live television, while acknowledging that tensions are extremely high here.
The officer retorted, Yes! Because you touched the officer! A second officer joined in, reinforcing the warning to Gutman not to touch the officers, to which Gutman replied, We clearly didnt touch the officers. The original officer insisted, Yes you did!
This altercation occurred amid nearly ten days of unrest in Los Angeles, marked by protests and riots. The Gateway Pundit also reported that one of their reporters, Schaffer, was injured during the chaos. Schaffer recounted, police are using tear gas and crowd control munitions to break up the crowd.
Despite displaying press credentials, Schaffer was struck by a rubber bullet and a tear gas canister, asserting, They are targeting press.
The situation underscores the volatile environment in Los Angeles, where law enforcement and media personnel navigate the challenges of maintaining order and reporting under intense pressure.
The incident raises questions about the treatment of journalists and the balance between maintaining public safety and respecting press freedom.
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