HKJA Blasts Attack, Urges Clear Display Of ID

The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) on Wednesday expressed regret at the attack on two mainland reporters, but called on the mainland media to display their identity clearly when covering large scale protests.

HKJA said that it regrets that a China News Agency reporter was asked by protesters to delete pictures, while a Global Times reporter was surrounded, searched and tied up at the airport. It condemned the violence against reporters, but noted that the two didn't wear the press passes at the time.

The association appealed to the public to respect journalists' works, but also called on mainland reporters to show their passes clearly at mass events.

The pro-government lawmakers meanwhile blasted the events at the airport on Tuesday, saying police crack down or the attacks of commuters at the Yuen Long MTR station last month cannot justify what happened overnight.

Protesters who had been occupying the airport terminal from Friday expanded their actions to disrupt flights in and from Hong Kong. They barred passengers from departure and in the night some of them beat up two men who they alleged were police officers from the mainland.

DAB chairwoman Starry Lee the protesters were taking law into own hands. This is harming the reputation of Hong Kong airport and the civilised image of Hongkongers.

Transport sector lawmaker Frankie Yick said it was wrong to target airport. He said if people and business are too scared to come to Hong Kong airport, they will leave and never come back.

Some pan democratic lawmakers also called on the protesters not to repeat the "extremely dangerous scenario".

But the pan-democrats convenor Claudia Mo said she hoped the travellers would understand the stress, panic and restlessness of the crowd after it was known that police officers had infiltrated their groups.