Basic human decency ignored in relentless search for photos

I refer to the letter from K Lam headlined, 'Behaviour was unacceptable' (South China Morning Post, December 6), regarding the intrusive and rude manner of press photographers taking pictures of her sister who had been involved in an accident.

Ms Kam's experience, unpleasant and intrusive as it was, is mild compared with what the family of the police constable who was killed in a traffic accident on November 18 had to endure.

I was absolutely repulsed by the disgusting, lurid photographs splashed across the majority of Hong Kong newspapers the following day.

Have the editors no sense of decency, no respect for the bereaved? In what possible public interest were these photos published?

Sadly, it is not uncommon to see the scrum of 18-year-old photographers crowding around accident victims, often getting in the way of firemen and ambulance crews.

Their lust for blood and guts to fill the daily 'gore' sections of their respective newspapers is not easily appeased.

Attempts to move photographers to a reasonable distance are often completely ignored and I am sure police officers are very reluctant to take firm action, fearing accusations of press interference. Surely in such circumstances the police have an overriding duty to protect injured victims from such intrusion of privacy?