WAVE 3 News reporter, photographer confronted by protesters

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - WAVE 3 News reporter Kaitlin Rust and photographer James Dobson had to be escorted away and shielded by a security guard in Jefferson Square Park after being confronted by protesters Wednesday evening.

In the video, Rust is seen preparing to speak when a shirtless man blocks her and begins yelling expletives into the camera. A security guard hired by WAVE 3 News helps to push the man out of the way as he continues yelling. The camera shakes as if the two hit Dobson.

Others are seen crowding around the crew as security leads Rust away. The shirtless man continues yelling and pacing around the WAVE 3 News team, and at one point yells, “Get the f**k out of here!”

“Why are you here?” a woman is seen asking Rust.

“We have a crew marching with you,” Rust responds.

At that point, the shirtless agitator is again seen jumping into the camera, and Dobson, Rust and the security guard begin walking out of the park.

“Can we stop?” Rust asks as protesters continue yelling as they walk away.

Several seconds later as the crew continues walking away, Dobson’s camera is heard rattling and appears to be pushed out of his hands and lands on the ground.

“Hey! Can we not?" Rust is heard asking.

Dobson told the rest of his WAVE 3 News team a person pulled his arm and his camera, which fell on the ground and broke.

Rust and Dobson were covering protests that erupted in the city following the announcement that only one officer will face charges in the Breonna Taylor case.

This is not the first time Rust and Dobson have had negative experiences covering protests in Louisville. In May, the pair were hit by rubber bullets fired by an LMPD officer as they reported on one of the first nights of demonstrations in the city calling for justice in Taylor’s death.

Watch the video below.

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