PoliticoGeorge Floyd protests: Australia to probe US law enforcement violence against news crew
- Correspondent Amelia Brace and cameraman Tim Myers of Australia’s 7NEWS were charged by police officers and National Guard units
- Incident marks one of first major diplomatic fissures to result from nationwide wave of racial unrest in US
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Quint Forgey on politico.com on June 2, 2020
The Australian government has asked its embassy in Washington to investigate an incident of violence against an Australian news crew by US law enforcement that transpired during efforts to disperse peaceful protesters and enable President Donald Trump’s photo opportunity in front of a church near the White House.
Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne confirmed the formal request for the probe in an interview Tuesday with ABC Radio National, saying she is seeking counsel from embassy officials “on how we would go about registering Australia’s strong concerns with the responsible local authorities” in the US capital.
“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. That is, it’s a very serious matter, and we take it in that way,” Payne said.
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Australian news crew struck by police at George Floyd protest in Washington
Correspondent Amelia Brace and cameraman Tim Myers of Australia’s 7NEWS were charged on Monday by police officers and National Guard units who fired rubber bullets, deployed flash bangs and set off tear gas bombs to force protesters from Lafayette Square across from the White House.