RTHK Driver Hit By Tear Gas Round

An RTHK driver whose heart stopped beating for a time after being hit by a tear gas round on Wednesday is now conscious and in a stable condition in hospital.

The broadcaster’s head of corporate communications, Amen Ng, said it’s understood he was hit after getting off his vehicle by Citic Tower on Tim Mei Avenue on Wednesday afternoon during heated clashes between protesters and police.

Another RTHK driver who rushed to his aid said besides getting hit by the round, he had apparently inhaled a lot of the tear gas and suffered spasms.

RTHK’s Programme Staff Union condemned the police for using excessive force.

The union said the driver had been hit even though he had been wearing a high-visibility vest that identified him as a journalist, and urged the force to act with restraint to avoid putting other members of the media at risk.