The ongoing protests against intensified immigration raids in Los Angeles took a personal turn when Wally Baram, an actress known for her role in the Amazon Prime show "Overcompensating," revealed that her 70-year-old mother was struck by a rubber bullet while participating in a demonstration. The incident has sparked outrage and further fueled the debate surrounding the use of force during protests.
Baram shared the news via her Instagram account, posting a graphic image of her mother's head wound. She wrote about how her mother, a 70-year-old Mexican woman, was hit in the back of the head with a rubber bullet, expressing her dismay that authorities were "bringing violence to peaceful protest." Baram also mentioned that her mother was immediately taken to the hospital and was doing well. In a display of resilience, Baram noted that her mother returned to the protests the following day.
The incident involving Baram's mother is not isolated. The Los Angeles protests, triggered by President Trump's intensified immigration enforcement, have been met with a strong response from law enforcement, including the use of rubber bullets, pepper spray, and smoke bombs. There have been reports of both protesters and journalists sustaining injuries. An Australian journalist, Lauren Tomasi, covering the protests live, was also hit by a rubber bullet.
The demonstrations in Los Angeles began with a few hundred people and grew to thousands. Protesters have blocked freeways, vandalized buildings, and clashed with law enforcement. In response, Governor Newsom filed an emergency request in federal court to block the Trump administration from using the National Guard and Marines to assist with immigration raids in Los Angeles, fearing it would escalate tensions and promote civil unrest. The protests have also drawn condemnation from public figures, including singer Doechii, who used her BET Awards acceptance speech to speak out against the "ruthless attacks" and the deployment of military forces against protesters.
The use of rubber bullets and other non-lethal weapons during protests has been a subject of ongoing debate. While law enforcement agencies maintain that these weapons are necessary to control crowds and maintain order, critics argue that they can cause serious injuries and may be used indiscriminately. The incident involving Wally Baram's mother and other similar cases have amplified concerns about the potential for excessive force and the need for greater accountability during protest policing. Organizations, such as Reporters Without Borders, have stated that there have been at least 27 attacks on journalists and are questioning whether journalists are being targeted.
