Photojournalist hit by police projectile at LA protest, damaging armor

Freelance photojournalist Ted Soqui was struck in the back with a crowd-control munition fired by police officers while he was covering a “No Kings” protest in downtown Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 18, 2025.

In a post on Instagram, Soqui said that mounted police officers were dispersing the crowd when they began firing crowd-control munitions.

Soqui was clearly marked as a member of the press when a round struck him, penetrating the outer fabric of his protective gear and chipping an armored plate beneath.

His metal helmet also sustained impact from stick strikes by police on horseback, according to Soqui’s post.

Soqui did not return U.S. Press Freedom Tracker requests for comment. The LAPD said in a statement that it is investigating all use-of-force incidents from Oct. 18 and could not comment on active investigations.

The police actions at the rally, one of thousands nationwide that day voicing opposition to the Trump administration, appeared to violate a state law and a preliminary injunction prohibiting officers from firing munitions at members of the press.

Soqui was also struck by crowd-control munitions while covering LA protests in June, which occurred after federal raids of workplaces and areas in and around the city where immigrant day laborers gather.