The streets of Los Angeles have been filled with anger, pain, and defiance over the past few days, as protests erupted against immigration raids carried out by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). What started as a demonstration against immigration arrests soon turned violent, and amidst it all was British photojournalist Nick Stern—doing what he’s done for years—capturing the truth through his lens.
But on Sunday night, the story he was documenting suddenly became his own.
While covering the protests outside a Home Depot store in Paramount, south of Los Angeles, Stern was struck by what he described as a three-inch plastic or “rubber” bullet. The projectile ripped into his thigh, leaving him bleeding heavily on the street.
“There was something hard sticking out of the back of my leg and my leg was getting wet from blood,” Stern later told the BBC.
Nick Stern is no stranger to the frontlines. Originally from Hertfordshire, UK, he’s been living in the US since 2007, photographing some of the biggest protests and conflicts around the world. Known for his deliberate and visible approach—wearing press credentials and carrying professional cameras—Stern believes in documenting history as it happens, no matter the risks.
But nothing could have prepared him for the moment he was hit.
“It was this terrific pain on my leg,” he recalled. “I tried hobbling away but I couldn’t put any weight on it.”
What happened next shows the remarkable strength of community in times of chaos. Around eight protesters ran to his aid, dragging him to safety. A medic quickly cut his trousers, applied a pressure pad, and tied a tourniquet to control the bleeding until emergency services arrived.
Stern underwent emergency surgery at Long Beach Memorial Medical Centre to remove the bullet. Thankfully, he’s now recovering—but his mind is already back on the frontline.
“I intend, as soon as I am well enough, to get back out there,” he said. “This is too important and it needs documenting.”
Nick Stern wasn’t the only journalist caught in the violence. Australian reporter Lauren Tomasi was also hit by a non-lethal round while filming for 9 News. The Los Angeles Police Department has not provided any official comment regarding these incidents.
The protests come at a time of growing tension across the US over immigration policy. Since returning to the White House, President Trump has made mass deportations a key part of his agenda, with ICE arrests increasing during his second term. In response to the protests, Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to California, promising that the federal government would “step in and solve the problem.”
But not everyone agrees with that approach. California’s Democratic governor has publicly urged the President to withdraw the National Guard, warning that a heavy-handed response could make the situation worse.
For many in LA’s immigrant communities, ICE’s actions feel like an attack on their very way of life.
“The communities in LA are very tight and very close-knit,” Stern observed. “So an outside organisation like ICE coming in and removing—whatever you want to call it, removing, kidnapping, abducting people from the community—is not going to go down well at all.”
As Stern continues his recovery, his commitment to telling these stories remains stronger than ever. And in a world where the line between journalist and participant can blur in an instant, his story is a stark reminder of the risks reporters take to shine a light on events that must not be ignored.
reference news link – https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg7vzrj6g3o
