Police Deny Harassing Reporters

Police have played down allegations that they are treating reporters the same as radical protesters.

Journalists covering the protests in Kowloon on Saturday night said they had been pushed to the ground by police, who also used pepper spray and tear-gas on them at close range. Video footage appears to show officers deliberately aiming at a group of reporters.

Journalists also complained that officers deliberately shone bright torches at them to hamper filming.

In response, Senior Superintendent Yolanda Yu said the protest scenes had been chaotic, and the press always place themselves right in the middle of the mayhem.

Yu said the bright lights were needed to identify potential radical attackers. She added that officers try their best to be helpful to journalists.