Hong Kong protests: anger after reporter knocked down during police dispersal operation

News Executives’ Association and the Hong Kong Journalists Association demand police chief and the city’s leader investigate

Force says it is sorry about the incident, an apology reiterated the next morning by the city leader

2-MIN READ2-MIN

A police officer holds pepper spray as he tries to disperse anti-government protesters in Tseung Kwan O on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

Published: 2:04am, 10 Mar 2020Updated: 2:22pm, 10 Mar 2020

Hong Kong journalists expressed anger at police on Monday after a female Cable TV reporter was knocked to the ground while covering a memorial vigil at a Tseung Kwan O car park for a university student who died there four months ago.

The News Executives’ Association and the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) demanded the police chief and the city’s leader investigate the incident and another involving the pepper-spraying of cameramen at a different protest, and ensure officers respect press freedom.

Late on Monday, the force said it was sorry about what it insisted was an inadvertent incident, an apology reiterated the next morning by Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.

During a dispersal operation on Sunday evening in the car park at Sheung Tak Estate, police arrested 63 people for unlawful assembly, possession of an imitation firearm and offensive weapon, among other offences.

Police searched those who attended the vigil in Tseung Kwan O. Photo: Edmond So

Hundreds of anti-government protesters had gathered from 7pm to remember Hong Kong University of Science and Technology student Chow Tsz-lok and police quickly launched a search, telling people to line up for identity and bag checks as the assembly was illegal.