Up To 6,000 Officers To Be Deployed For EC Polls

Police commissioner Raymond Siu on Saturday said the force will mobilise some 5,000 to 6,000 officers to ensure the safety of the Election Committee elections on Sunday.

But he said police had not received any intelligence that there are people who want to sabotage the polls.

He stressed that the force will be monitoring activities both online and offline.

Meanwhile, Siu has become the latest security official to hit out at the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), accusing it of "selectively turning a deaf ear" to reporters who have views not held by the group.

For days, the security minister Chris Tang has questioned the professionalism of the HKJA.

Siu also weighed in on Saturday, saying people can see for themselves if the group has acted professionally over the years.

Like Tang, the police commissioner cited the example of a 13-year-old student reporter covering a protest last year, saying that instead of caring for his well-being, the HKJA advocated that "everyone can be a reporter”.

Siu added that when media workers from organisations that hold different views from the HKJA were bullied or assaulted, it "selectively turned a deaf ear".

"Is that what a professional media group should do? I will let the people judge," he said, but refused to say if the police would investigate the association.

In response, the HKJA posted a statement on Facebook attached with a number of links to statements condemning attacks on reporters from various media, such as Ta Kung Pao, Global Times and TVB.

It had said it never advocated that "everyone can be a reporter," saying it has only been defending the press freedom guaranteed by the Basic Law.

______________________________