Hong Kong journalist claims police attacked him while he reported on Mong Kok riot
Ming Pao expresses shock and regret over the injuries its employee sustained
A journalist from the Chinese-language newspaper Ming Pao reported to police on Wednesday afternoon, alleging that he was attacked by police officers on Tuesday morning.
The man, surnamed Tang, said he was viewing the unrest from the upper deck of a double-decker bus parked in Mong Kok at about 3am on Tuesday when a uniformed policeman asked him to exit the bus immediately.
“I showed him my press card immediately and told him that I’m a reporter doing my job, but he insisted that I leave and I obeyed,” Tang said.
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“But another policeman grabbed me by the throat and pushed me … and I fell down outside the bus,” he continued.
“At that time several policemen approached me, pushed me onto the ground with their shield, and when I tried to protect myself, I felt that I was kicked and my head was hit by something.”
Tang said during the episode he shouted repeatedly that he was a journalist and should not be attacked.
On Tuesday, Ming Pao issued a statement to express shock and regret that one of its journalists was allegedly assaulted by police officers while covering the riot. The assault left Tang with hand and head injuries that required stitches in hospital.