US police used “excessive force” against Sunrise reporter, cameraman.

An investigation into US police brutality against a Sunrise crew reporting on George Floyd protests near the White House in 2020 has found U.S. Park Police officers used excessive force.

The New York Times reports the investigation found that the officers violated U.S. Park Police policies when one pushed a cinematographer’s camera with his shield and the other struck a reporter with his baton.

Seven News reporter Amelia Brace and cameraman Tim Myers were struck by police when reporting on protests in Washington DC’s Lafayette Square. Following police clearing the area President Donald Trump appeared in a photo opportunity outside St John’s Episcopal Church, holding a bible.

An officer hit Tim Myers with a riot shield, knocking his camera to the ground. When both started to run, another officer appeared to swing a baton at Amelia Brace’s back. Other journalists also faced attacks as they covered the demonstrations against racial injustice in the United States.

The incident sparked international headlines and condemnation, with the Australian government ordering the Australian Embassy in Washington to investigate the incident.

“We determined that an objectively reasonable officer on the scene would not have concluded that the reporter posed a threat under the circumstances,” the investigation stated. It added that the findings had been delivered to the National Park Service director for “any action deemed appropriate.”

The inspector general’s report said U.S. Park Police guidelines call for officers “to use ‘only the minimum level of reasonable force necessary to control a situation,’ which includes a requirement that an officer ‘shall de-escalate the amount of force to the lowest level necessary to maintain control’ of a subject.”

Seven has been contacted for comment.