HKJA Condemns Officers for Shameless Hindrances of Reporting; A demand on top dogs police to reign in frontline force 

#PoliceBrutality #PoliceState #Reporters

On the night of the 31st of October, aggressive confrontations erupted once again in Central, Prince Edward and Mong Kok. During the police clearance operation, a RTHK photographer stationed near Lan Kwai Fong, Central was shoved by police officers with shields, and was pepper sprayed twice square in the face. Another RTHK photographer in Prince Edward was presumably shot in the waist by tear gas bombs or rubber bullets. The two had to be hospitalized; Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) strongly condemned the police’s blatant disturbance of press coverage and reportage, and urged the senior officers to restrain the frontline force’s behavior on a strict leash. 

HKJA has complained about the issue to the police multiple times, to no avail. Often enough, at scenes of confrontations, officers would maliciously target reporters. For instance, they would shine strong flashlights on them, pepper spray them in the face and yanking off their gas masks. The continuance of these behaviours have raised doubts as to whether the senior police officers are intentionally indulging frontline officers to crackdown on the freedom of the press. This, however, will undeniably reap disastrous consequences, as it will further verify and give supporting evidences to claims of police brutality. 

Hopefully, the police will always remember their oath that upholds the true standards that a police officer has to adhere to in order to execute their powers and duties, “with malice or ill-will toward none”. 

Source: Stand News