Epoch Times's Printing Plant 'ransacked'

A Hong Kong newspaper that is critical of Beijing said Monday its printing presses were ransacked by a gang of men wielding sledgehammers.

Footage released by the paper showed four masked men storming into the printing plant in the early hours of Monday morning and smashing up equipment.

They are seen throwing concrete rubble into machinery as a terrified female staff member looked on, and in an accompanying report the Epoch Times said the gang threatened those inside with violence.

"The whole process of violent criminal damage was very short, it was completed in around two minutes," the paper wrote, adding the main printing console suffered the most damage.

Hong Kong Police confirmed its organised crime unit had taken over the case and that no arrests had been made so far.

The Epoch Times is linked to the Falun Gong, a spiritual movement that is banned on the mainland and prosecuted by authorities there.

The paper is printed in eight languages and publishes in 21 languages online, often penning scathing pieces about the mainland government.

In a statement, the Epoch Times said some of its booths had also suffered "harassment and vandalism" in recent days by unidentified assailants.

"The Epoch Times Group condemns the attack and condemns the evil Chinese Communist force for damaging freedom and rule of law," the paper said in its statement. (AFP)