What is currently happening in the United States of America would have been considered a war crime just a short time ago. We would have considered it a war crime if the American military went into another country, tear-gassed and flash-banged unarmed protesters (many of them children/teenagers) and violently assaulted members of the media. All of which happened yesterday in Washington DC, just a block away from the White House. Donald Trump ordered the military to beat the sh-t out of kids and journalists – who were demonstrating peacefully – all so he could do his bigly photo-op with a Bible.
For the past week, the police and now the military are actively targeting members of the press who are covering the protests, riots and demonstrations. Even when reporters and cameramen identify themselves as press, or their press credentials are clearly visible, they’re being assaulted, gassed, shot and/or arrested. It’s not just members of the American media either – the disintegration of American society is being viewed around the world. An Australian media outlet was in DC, covering the peaceful protest yesterday in DC. Those Aussies got beaten by the cops/military live on air:
This video includes another angle, where you can see the cop beating the cameraman and pushing him back.
This is so bad that the Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, is requesting an investigation into the incident:
Two Australian journalists were assaulted by police on live TV during a protest outside the White House on Monday evening. Channel 7 News cameraman Tim Myers was punched and hit with a shield and U.S. correspondent Amelia Brace was hit with a truncheon while trying to escape. The police, dressed in riot gear, were removing protesters ahead of a media appearance by President Donald Trump.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has instructed Australia’s embassy in the U.S. to investigate the incident, which comes amid a string of police attacks on media during the protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd.
At this point, I feel like we Americans actually need some outsiders to come in and mediate some sh-t. I’m not saying that to pass the buck, I’m saying that because this sh-t is only going to get worse in the next five months, and God help us if Trump “wins” re-election. There will be no coming back. Count me in for putting UN Peacekeepers in American cities and asking the United Nations to monitor our elections. I welcome Australian investigators to come in and investigate and prosecute the thugs with badges assaulting members of foreign media as well.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
But who will handle the investigation?
A photojournalist got shot in her left eye and was rushed to the hospital by protesters. From her hospital bed, she clearly stated that she strongly believed the press was being targeted by security outfits. She had her press tag on the neck identifying her as a journalist but they still shot at her. It was a rubber bullet but still enough to do maximum damage. Doctors say it’s unlikely she’ll see beyond lights and shadows with that eye. Yet, she’s undaunted and plans to return to protest sites ASAP. She reckons it’s a good thing her ‘work eye’ – the right one- still works! What is happening in America is beyond sad. I truly hope Trump is not allowed to go quietly into the night…he needs to end up in jail!
Rubber bullets aren’t actually completely made of rubber. They’re metal bullets wrapped in rubber and can actually produce the same damage as a real bullet. It’s a mislead that I don’t think people realize. I know I always thought of them as tiny black rubber pencil erasers or something. Turns out not so much.
Rubber bullets were used by the British army on Catholics in Northern Ireland during the troubles. They can, and did, cause serious injury and death. They are a reprehensible crowd control method.
I’ve managed to keep it somewhat together over the past few months of non-stop uncertainty and dread, but last night I cried myself to sleep over this unceasing national nightmare that seems to know no bottom.
I should clarify that its been actually years of dread over Trump, but 2020 is a total nightmare as opposed to the usual sh*tshow.
I called my senator and started sobbing and shaking while talking to his secretary. This is midnight in America.
I had a breakdown last night too. It has been years of dread, but it’s just getting worse every day right now.
And I’m a white, privileged woman – I cannot imagine what a LIFETIME of dread and fear and injustice and racism must feel like, and especially the last few years.
Thank you for being open about this, it helped me feel a little less alone. I’ve cried myself to sleep too. More than once. My heart breaks for my children, I want so much better for them than this.
This is beyond the pale. I want to lose it, but I’m still trying to keep it together for online teaching my class of 7 and 8 year olds. It’s a nightmare. I feel like we should all be in the streets. This F-ing pandemic and evilmonger rapist in chief, complicit DOJ and republican leaders. . .
The world knew the USA has a terrible military track record.
But I don’t think people expected the same treatment within the country.
The police are terrorizing people in plain sight and on camera.
A woman I went to school with, now a tv reporter, was shot at with rubber bullets. This is a horrifying way to censor people.
If this were any other country it would have been sanctioned and the USA would be calling for their expulsion from the UN.
Exactly
Yes.
Imagine what we’d all say to any other country beating up foreign journalists.
That said, I’ll eat my hat if Scott Morrison actually directly criticises Trump. He’d have to pull his tongue out of Trump’s a$$ for two seconds for that to happen.
Thank you Ash for eloquently stating the absolute truth. SM = Trump-shit breath. His only response to the situation is to cry that breakfast TV reporters arent free to make money off the backs of these people’s misery. Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.
Oh my God. What has this country come to? Outside countries to help bring peace and police us. MAGA – bullshit. He has flushed the US down the toilet.
As an Australian I have to say that we are a small nation and have no real power when it comes to world powers like the US. Trump will likely just ignore this. And what can we do? But hopefully if enough world leaders step up he can be shamed somewhat.
It’s really scary what’s happening in the US right now. The violent attacks on protestors and the press are horrifying.
That said, our government, led by Scott Morrison (Scummo) has been attacking our press through legislature and police raids and bullying for some time now. They’ve also stripped our national broadcaster the ABC (our equivalent of the BBC) of so much funding because it holds them to account regularly. We’ve relied so heavily on the ABC this year because it’s the main way people in regional areas were warned about the bushfires but our government continues to strip away their funding.
These attacks on the press are sneakier, more insidious and people notice them less; but Scummo is part of the problem too.
This. ScumMo may not be in the orange one’s league of narcissistic sociopathy, but he is a piece of shit who needs to clean up his own filthy backyard instead of getting on his moral high horse.
Yes! Thank you! I came here to say just this. Morrison is a slimy hypocrite. He’s totally annihilated Australians since being in power.
Over 400 indigenous people have died in police custody in Australia since 1991. Zero criminal charges have been laid against any law enforcement officers. Our prime minister is living in a glass house. Australia’s record on human rights is appalling.
Oh yeah, absolutely! I didn’t even get into that because this article was about attacks on the media but our police regularly attack and brutalise indigenous people. Deaths in custody are sky high for aboriginals and the removal of children from their parents is at higher rates than it was during the Stolen Generation. Some of the laws in the Northern Territory actually contravene international human rights laws. Most Australians are in total denial or else are so racist against our First Nations people that they can’t see the issue (and yet will deny they are racist angrily). It’s this weird thing where some white liberals who are horrified by the police attacks on African Americans can’t see the correlation here in Australia and deny that the same thing is happening here. Racism against aboriginals is so entrenched – it’s the shame of our nation. Sadly they are such a minority (due to the genocidal actions of European settlers) that it is much harder for them to get their stories out there. Sort of a combination of what African Americans and First Nations people in the US suffer from.
Thank you. Americans have a way of looking at other countries and seeing only what they want to. It’s important to remind them that they are not exceptional – not in their glories, and not in their sins.
It is my fondest wish this administration is brought up on human rights charges at the Hague.
@theoriginalmia – oh god, I hope so too! Although it would probably have get much worse first.
The UN monitoring the elections would be such a relief.
That would be amazing! And yes, I am an American.
Surely Trump will just leave the UN on behalf of USA if they try anything like that?
Biden: George Floyds last words are, “Echoing across the nation,” appears apropos of out time. Most of us are struggling in an attempt to breathe normally.
Australian leaders know that McConnell and Trump are in bed with Xi and Putin. They have all the intel. They’re also working against multiple disinformation campaigns, cyber attacks and CCP naval aggressions. Trump letting police assault their reporters should bring swift condemnation. Goes hand-in-hand with Trudeau stating last week that Russia will not be allowed back into the G7 meetings. Our allies have had enough. Most of them know Joe Biden personally, and they are pretty much saying outright that Trump has to go. Good!
The CNN reporter and cameraman arrested and handcuffed during a live broadcast. A local news reporter was tear-gassed while reporting on one of the peaceful protests near me. I’m not surprised that Trump has turned to literally attacking the journalists now, since he’s been figuratively attacking them for years (Fake news! Nothing but lies! Making me look bad with false reports!) and is desperate to remain in office. He doesn’t just want to make the media voiceless, he wants to make it totally blind, deaf and mute so they can’t see/hear/report on anything he does so none of us will know what is really going on. We’ve all been witnessing, in front-row seats, the birth of a dictatorship these past four years. I pray that Joe Biden has the best Secret Service and security around him these next few months. I wouldn’t put it past him to have Biden taken out (or at least attempted) before the inauguration. I know that’s a really horrible thought, and hope that I’m really wrong, but that’s where I think we are now.