Australian officials said Tuesday they are taking action after U.S. authorities attacked an Aussie television crew reporting from protests near the White House the night before.
The country’s top diplomat said a probe is set to take place in light of the TV crew being assaulted live on camera while reporting from Lafayette Square Park on Monday evening.
And the nation’s ambassador to the U.S. said his office is providing consular support to the Australian citizens involved and concerns have been raised by U.S. State Department.
They spoke out after a reporter and cameraman for Australia’s Seven News were assaulted by police as federal authorities abruptly cleared the park of peaceful protests and media.
Footage of the incident shows an officer shoving a riot shield into the midsection of Seven News photographer Tim Myers and then punching his camera immediately prior to another officer swinging their baton at TV correspondent Amelia Brace.
“We have asked the Australian Embassy in Washington D.C. to investigate this incident, and I want to get further advice on how we would go about registering Australia’s strong concerns with the responsible local authorities in Washington,” Foreign Minister Marise Payne said during a radio interview aired on Australia’s national broadcaster, ABC.
“I think it’s appropriate in an environment such as this where an event of this nature has occurred that we are able to seek advice to investigate the incident,” Ms. Payne added. “It’s a very serious matter and we take it in that way.”
Arthur Sinodinos, Australia’s ambassador to the U.S., said in a separate statement that his office was “providing consular support to the Australian citizens involved” in the incident and confirmed Canberra plans to formally voice concerns.
“We are in discussion with the State Department and they have offered assistance to identify where the complaint should be targeted,” Mr. Sinodinos said.
The incident happened minutes before President Trump spoke from the White House Rose Garden about the protest and others erupting nationwide following the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who was killed in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes.
“As we speak, I am dispatching thousands and thousands of heavily armed soldiers, military personnel, and law enforcement officers to stop the rioting, looting, vandalism, assaults, and the wanton destruction of property,” Mr. Trump said within moments of authorities assaulting the reporters covering the protest.
Craig McPherson, Seven’s director of news and public affairs, subsequently described the assault as “nothing short of wanton thuggery.”
“They weren’t in anyone’s way just simply doing their job. To be belted with an armored shield and then our reporter cop a truncheon in the back is abhorrent,” he said in a statement.
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