In June 2020, two US park police officers reportedly used excessive force against two Australian journalists covering George Floyd’s protest outside the White House. It says. investigation By Home Office Inspector General.
An investigation, released Wednesday, found that officers pushed the cinematographer’s camera with a shield and another hit a reporter with a baton in violation of US Park Police regulations.
“We determined that no objectively reasonable police officer at the scene could have concluded that the reporter posed a threat under these circumstances,” the investigation said. He added that the findings were forwarded to the National Park Service Commissioner for “any action deemed appropriate.”
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an investigation into how police officers treated two journalists who worked for Channel 7, one of Australia’s major networks. Other journalists were also attacked while covering demonstrations against racial injustice in the United States.
The investigation did not name the journalists, but a New York Times article at the time identified them as photographer Tim Myers and reporter Amelia Brace.
Myers and Brace covered the demonstration as President Donald J. Trump threatened to crack down on the protests in a speech at the Rose Garden that began at 6:43 p.m. Ahead of Washington’s 7 p.m. Disperse the crowd.
A police officer hit Ms. Myers with a riot shield and slammed the camera to the ground. As Myers and Brace started running, another officer appeared to wield a baton over Brace’s back.
Myers filmed the police ramming him and the footage was broadcast live on Australian television. “We could hear the media yelling there, but they don’t care,” Brace said when she got back on camera.
Wednesday’s inspector general’s report said U.S. Park Police guidelines call for officers to use “only the minimum and reasonable force necessary to control the situation,” including police The official said that it included a requirement that “the amount of force must be escalated step by step.” Minimum level required to maintain subject control. “
