Federal court denies LAPD’s ‘emergency’ bid to dismantle press protections following City Council vote

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously on Friday to withdraw a request that sought to lift court-imposed restrictions on the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) use of force against journalists during protests. 

On Wednesday, attorneys with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office filed a motion on behalf of the Police Department, asking U.S. District Judge Hernán D. Vera to halt his injunction that prohibits officers from using excessive force against journalists.

LAPD argued that the injunction issued in September could hinder its ability to ensure public safety during the high-profile “No Kings” demonstration scheduled for Saturday, October 18. The court-issued order followed months of reports detailing accounts of misconduct and violence against members of the press by the police. 

The injunction also requires the department to adopt and implement affirmative measures to protect press freedoms during demonstrations.

Although the court stated that its injunction largely mirrors existing LAPD policies, attorneys for the city wrote that “the injunction imposes ambiguous mandates that create serious operational uncertainty and substantial risk of contempt for good faith conduct.” The city emphasized the urgency of the matter, given the imminent protest, which will require the deployment of officers who must now act within the constraints of the contested order.

The court cast doubt on the urgency of the request, noting that the injunction had been issued five weeks earlier and that they had delayed seeking emergency relief until now. Although the defendants informed opposing counsel three weeks ago that they might pursue a stay, they took no immediate action. They filed a notice of appeal more than a week ago, yet still waited before submitting the emergency application. Moreover, the demonstration they cite as a concern has been publicly known for over 10 days—hardly a sudden development.

The injunction prohibits the LAPD from engaging in a wide array of practices during public demonstrations, particularly with regard to the treatment of members of the press. It also compels the department to undertake a series of affirmative steps to ensure compliance, as outlined in a detailed memorandum accompanying the order. 

The judge said he would issue a ruling by Oct. 24. But the matter may now be resolved after the City Council opted to retract the motion.