Topline:
The Los Angeles City Council voted 11-2 to approve a request from City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto’s office to hire an outside law firm to aid the Los Angeles Police Department in its legal fight against local journalists.
How we got here: In June, the Los Angeles Press Club and investigative reporting outlet Status Coup sued the police department for its treatment of journalists during anti-ICE protests. Judge Hernán Vera of the Central District Court of California issued an injunction in September restricting police use of force against journalists, writing that the protests presented “the latest chapter in a long and unfortunate saga of the LAPD’s use of unlawful force against members of the media.”
The background: Ahead of October’s No Kings protest, the L.A. City Attorney’s Office filed an emergency motion on behalf of the LAPD asking the judge to lift the injunction, stating it should cover only journalists affiliated with the L.A. Press Club and Status Coup. The judge denied that motion.
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How the council voted: Councilmembers Adrin Nazarian and Monica Rodriguez voted against the request. Councilmembers Nithya Raman and Curren Price were absent for the vote.