HKJA Wants Direct Talks With Police Over Complaints

The Journalists Association said on Thursday that it's regrettable that police sent complaint letters to media companies employing reporters who staged a protest at the police briefing on Monday, and called for face-to-face talks with police.

The group said it's worried that police are trying to spread white terror, and urged media outlets not to punish employees who protested.

It also criticised the police for refusing to meet with media workers over alleged police mistreatment at demonstrations, saying this was why the reporters had resorted to a silent demonstration.

Police walked out of their regular press briefing on Monday in response to the protest after reporters from six different media outlets each had a Chinese character stuck on their helmet - forming the message "Investigate police brutality, stop police lies."

Although they didn't shout any slogans, the police demanded that the signs be removed. When this didn't happen, the officials left the briefing room, just moments after they had arrived.

A member of the force's public relations bureau then ordered the protesting reporters to leave, shouting out the names of their outlets: RTHK, Ming Pao, Stand News, Initium Media, am730 and In-Media.

The protest was organised because of growing dismay among the city's journalists at media workers being arrested, tear gassed, pepper sprayed, beaten and shot with rubber bullets and bean bags.

This anger increased last weekend following the arrest of a Stand News journalist and a student reporter from Baptist University who were both covering a demonstration in Tai Koo.