HONG KONG (Reuters) – Three journalists were roughed up yesterday evening in Hong Kong after being confronted by pro-government protesters holding a rally to oppose a four-week long “Occupy” movement of the financial hub’s streets by pro-democracy demonstrators.
Hong Kong has been roiled by a tenacious, student-led people’s movement demanding full democracy in the former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
But the protracted “Occupy Central” civil disobedience movement has also sparked clashes with police and has come under attack from sometimes hostile groups and sections of society who have condemned the disruptions to traffic and business, including blue-collar workers such as taxi and truck drivers.
In the latest sign of simmering tensions, more than 1,000 “anti-Occupy” supporters gathered to denounce the pro-democracy protesters close to the harbour front Star Ferry pier.
Many chanted slogans like “Give me back Hong Kong!” and “Clear the streets immediately!” during the evening rally.
While there were not direct clashes between the two camps on this occasion, small groups of protesters, many wearing blue ribbons as a symbol against the yellow ribbon-wearing student activists, directed their ire at journalists on the scene.
During heated exchanges, a cameraman and reporter for the city’s largest free-to-air television station, TVB, were surrounded and harassed by hostile crowds, some of whom pushed them around, tore off the reporter’s tie and snatched off a pair of glasses from the cameraman amid shouting and cursing.
The pair eventually had to be escorted from the melee by police officers.
A female reporter for Hong Kong’s public broadcaster, RTHK, Wong Wing-yin, was also kicked on the leg and body by blue ribbon supporters after being pushed to the ground. She was taken to hospital.
RTHK and its programme staff union condemned the attack, while a spokesman said the station would take legal action.
