'US police want to win', says British photographer injured by 'plastic bullet' in LA protests amid immigration crackdown

9 June 2025, 20:25 | Updated: 10 June 2025, 07:03

A British photographer struck by a 'plastic bullet' during the LA protests has said "US police want to win".

British news photographer Nick Stern was hit by a non-lethal 'hard plastic shell' bullet during protests in LA.

Largely peaceful protests turned violent overnight as people took to the streets to protest the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal migrants across the US.

Mr Stern told LBC's Iain Dale he was struck when violence "escalated" after the Sheriff's Department responded to people throwing bottles of water by firing non-lethal volleys of "pepper bullets" and "flash bangs" towards the crowd.

He said this then turned into "rocks being thrown" by crowds, with the Sheriff's Department "firing more projectiles at people".

Mr Stern said he deliberately makes himself obvious in situations like this: "I was down there photographing it with my press ID around my neck and my big camera.

"Unfortunately, I got hit on my leg, which was pretty painful, and [it] left a three-inch projectile embedded in my leg, which I had to have emergency surgery to remove."

When asked by Iain if it was "deliberate", Mr Stern said he "didn't know".

Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi, who was carrying a microphone, was also hit by a non-lethal round shot by a police officer.

"It does make you wonder if they are, in fact, targeting media," Mr Stern told Iain.

Mr Stern described the cause of the protests, explaining that people are angry as "Donald Trump said they were going to deport murders and rapists, but that seems to have turned into people who are legitimately going through the asylum process".

He added that people are being arrested when their application "is going through the stages and they're being arrested as they go to these appointments".

'Inflaming'

When questioned by Iain on who is behind the arrests, Mr Stern said he believes it's Immigration and Customers Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security.

"They are also being backed up by local law enforcement - although local law enforcement have said they won't get involved in the actual immigration duties, but they are doing crowd control, traffic management and trying to stop any violence breaking out."

It comes as tensions brew between President Donald Trump and Gavin Newsom, the California State Governor.

"The president has deployed the National Guard, which Newsom says is inflaming the situation," said Mr Stern.

Mr Stern told LBC that if there's a protest in the US, the "police want to win".

"They don't want everyone to go home safely without injury and in peace - they want to win.

"That's why the National Guard are out."

'Troops'

California Governor Gavin Newsom has said the state is taking Donald Trump to court after his 'illegal' mobilisation of troops to Los Angeles protests.

Donald Trump issued a command of "bring in the troops" in a series of late-night tweets on Sunday as protests against immigration raids in California erupted into violence.

Police designated Downtown LA as an ‘unlawful assembly area’ and Trump posted online calling for the arrest of anyone wearing a face mask.

Authorities fired rubber bullets and rained down tear gas on demonstrators who were marching against President Trump's nationwide immigration raids.

But despite claims of widespread violence from the White House, the LA Sheriff’s Department described the protests as largely peaceful.

'Violence'

Trump sent in 2,000 National Guard troops and placed 500 Marines on standby, while the LAPD authorised the 'use of less lethal munitions' to regain control of the city.

But the Los Angeles mayor and California governor have blamed the increasingly aggressive protests on Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard.

Governor Gavin Newsom said local law enforcement "didn't need help," but that Trump "sent troops anyway — to manufacture chaos and violence."

"Trump succeeded," he wrote in a Tweet, adding: "Now things are destabilized and we need to send in more law enforcement just to clean up Trump’s mess.

Newsom has since promised "California will be taking him to court" for deploying the troops without consulting him, accusing the US president of being 'reckless' and 'immoral'.

'Reckless'

“He’s taken the illegal and unconstitutional act of federalizing the National Guard and he’s putting lives at risk," he told Fox News.

He also called the move "by definition, illegal," because Trump bypassed state governors to deploy the National Guard.

"There was no collaboration, there was no counsel, no consideration of the rules of engagement," he said. "It was a reckless act that has led to conditions that exacerbated and it’s putting people’s lives at risk."

The governor also said Trump is "unhinged right now" and accused him of "flaming the fires."

LA Mayor Karen Bass meanwhile urged protesters not to “engage in violence and chaos”, adding on X: “Don’t give the administration what they want.”

“What we’re seeing in Los Angeles is chaos that is provoked by the administration.

“This is about another agenda, this isn’t about public safety.”

'Free'

Earlier, officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had carried out raids on workplaces suspected of employing illegal immigrants, rounding up and arresting hundreds of foreign nationals.

There have been at least 118 arrests by ICE agents in the last week in Los Angeles.

Many of these arrests involved ICE agents taking immigrants by surprise and not wearing uniform or proper identification, leading to widespread fear among immigrants and condemnation from rights groups.

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US media outlets and rights groups reported that hundreds of detainees, including children, were held overnight in the basement of federal buildings without access to beds, blankets or adequate food and water.

Trump vowed on Sunday to "set Los Angeles free" from what he described as "Illegal Aliens and Criminals" backed by "violent, insurrectionist mobs".

Protesters were seen filling the streets in response to mass deportations across the state, with tear gas deployed on Sunday afternoon as officers in riot gear lined the streets.

'Migrant'

So far, 56 arrests have been made during the protests in Los Angeles, police chief Jim McDonnell said at a news conference.

Meanwhile, more than 60 arrests were made in San Francisco, which included several protesters under the age of 18.

Three LADP officers were injured but did not require transport.

Among those arrested was a person accused of ramming a motorcycle into a line of officers, injuring one, and a person who allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at an officer.

A series of coordinated immigration raids across Los Angeles on Friday ignited the protests, after US immigration officials at ICE made dozens of arrests targeting those suspected of "immigration violations".

Taking to Truth Social on Sunday, Trump referred to Los Angeles as a "once great American City" before proceeding to label the largely peaceful protests "migrant riots".

Five hundred Marines are ready to support the National Guard troops, US Northern Command said.

'Chaos'

Several vehicles have been set on fire, including Waymo electric 'driverless' SUVs. The lithium-ion batteries can "release toxic gasses", Los Angeles Police Department warned.

Amid growing concerns over heightening tensions, governor Newsom urged protesters to remain calm on Sunday - as he suggested Trump is "hoping for chaos" on the streets.

“He’s hoping for chaos so he can justify more crackdowns, more fear, more control," Newsom said on Sunday.

"Stay calm. Never use violence. Stay peaceful.”

Police had previously used tear gas, stun guns and riot shields to push back against protestors on Saturday.