In search of justice, when police resort to brutality
Charles TANG / TSE Chung-yan
Convenors of the Membership Subcommittee
Every year, candidates running for executive committee membership of the Hong Kong Journalists Association submit a platform that outlines the issues they are concerned with and want to follow up on if elected. However, the platforms and distribution of work were not as important as in past years because all of us were caught up in dealing with a series of conflicts and police brutality issues. We regret that some training and welfare activities were not held as scheduled.
Although the street battles had not yet spread into every district of Hong Kong last July when this year’s executive committee took office, many journalists were treated impolitely, and some even violently, by the police. Each time after a clash between police and protesters we could not put our mobile phones aside. Apart from drafting statements to condemn the police, we collected data from journalists to keep record of police’s excessive use of violence. We also staged a procession to say NO to police brutality. And we organised meetings like seminars for journalists to collect and share views.
As HKJA has filed a judicial review against the issue of police brutality, we have to collect more evidence. We persuaded journalists who had encountered police brutality to speak out, make a report and sign an affidavit, to show that police brutality is not a rare occurrence, but is carried out with the acquiescence and connivance of senior government officials. It is no easy task for journalists to cope with wayward cops; the journalists have to recall unpleasant, at times horrifying experiences, and seek approval of of their media organisations as well.
Student and online media definitely played a role in recording the social movement that have lasted for more than half a year. Their flexibility and mobility replenished the shortcomings of traditional mainstream media. They captured and presented significant footages to Hong Kong people, and even the world. A notable example is the video of a secondary school student being shot in Tseun Wan. However, school media and online journalists, who operated like any full-time journalist, were also targeted by the police. News about them being impolitely and violently treated, or even arrested, often come to our ears. Their identities were also repeatedly being challenged.
HKJA is a trade union established according to the Trade Unions Ordinance. Our constitution states that only those trained in journalism or serving a form of apprenticeship can apply for trainee membership. Therefore, not every school media journalist is eligible for membership. However, HKJA does not turn a deaf ear to them. In fact, we tried to keep in touch with students through various ways, such as launching a telegram channel to release information, collecting cases of police brutality, and distributing helmets. When the anti-mask law was forcefully adopted by the Government last October, school media journalists were worried that they might breach the law inadvertently by wearing a gas mask during coverage if the police were to refuse them recognition as journalists. Knowing their concerns and doubts, HKJA acquired and provided legal advice for their reference. We also suggested that they completed the identification of school media journalists as soon as possible.
After associating with the school media journalists for a few months, HKJA was able to gain their trust. During the lock-down of PolyU in November, these journalists witnessed many first aid volunteers and online journalists being arrested even when they followed the police’s instruction to leave. They were afraid that they would join those arrested. That night, after calling for students to provide a list of journalists covering news at PolyU, HKJA immediately negotiated with the police at the university. Following a long discussion, we finally came to an agreement, and the school media journalists were allowed to leave after being searched by the police at a specified location.
This year has not been easy for all of us. We often felt powerless and breathless when facing a myriad of police brutality cases. Under the Police General Orders, police should “facilitate the work of the news media as much as possible and accord media representatives consideration and courtesy”. In the future, we hope that the police can keep this in mind, and stop stigmatising journalists by calling them “corrupted journalists” or “fake journalists”. We will also try our best to bring justice to the journalists who had experienced police brutality in the past.