A PRESS photographer, originally from Hailsham, has been injured while covering the violent protests in Los Angeles, after being struck in the head by a rubber bullet fired by police.
Toby Canham, 59, now works as a veteran photojournalist in the United States, was on assignment for the New York Post on Sunday evening when the incident occurred.
Canham was filming chaotic scenes between protesters and police near the 101 Freeway when a California Highway Patrol officer appeared to turn and fire at him from a distance of about 100 yards.
The disturbing moment was captured on Canham’s own video equipment. Despite clearly displaying his press credentials, he was hit in the forehead, knocked to the ground and later taken to hospital where he was treated for whiplash, neck pain and a large bruise.
Speaking to the New York Post, Canham said: “When I got whacked, to my best recollection, it was just me filming with my cameras on and then I got shot. Where I was hit, I was the only person overlooking the freeway. I wasn’t surrounded so I was an easy target.”
Just moments before the shooting, a flashbang grenade had exploded nearby, spraying shrapnel and ripping holes in his trousers. Canham had begun filming shortly after spotting someone throw a water bottle at police officers.
A former member of the British Army, Canham has worked extensively across the globe and is now based in Los Angeles. The incident has raised fresh concerns over the treatment of journalists during civil unrest in the US.
Despite repeated requests for comment, both the office of California Governor Gavin Newsom and the Los Angeles Mayor’s office declined to respond to questions from the New York Post, referring the matter to local law enforcement.
As tensions escalated across the city, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth deployed an additional 700 Marines to support the 300 National Guard troops already on the ground.
The disruptions, which began on Friday, have seen thousands take to the streets protesting against Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in Los Angeles.
