Social News
Written by: Huang Weilun
2020-05-10 22:36
Last update date: 2020-05-11 03:28The "Fugitive Offenders Ordinance" has been in trouble for nearly a year. Today (10th), some netizens launched a "sing with you" in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui. At one time, more than 100 people gathered to sing slogans. At about 5:30, the police intercepted two underage student reporters wearing reporters' reflective clothing in the shopping mall. The two were eventually taken into police cars.
At about 7:30 pm, one of the 12-year-old boy Lu who was taken away was released. He said that he had been cooperating with the police but was mocked for his height by physical attacks during the investigation. He said that this is not the first time to go out for interviews. He respects the work of journalists very much and hopes to become a member. However, after this incident, he admitted that he would not interview again.
Classmate Lu ’s mother said she knew her son had gone out for an interview and watched his live broadcast. She believes that interviewing is also a kind of training, but she will refuse her son to participate in dangerous interviews. Classmate Lu also choked out to his mother, "Yeah, hold it! Happy Mother's Day!"
Police replied that they found a 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl who claimed to be reporters during the operation today, considering the safety of the two minors and bringing them back to the police station. "They were not arrested."
At about 5:30 this afternoon, two "Shen Xue Media" student reporters wearing reporters' reflective clothing were intercepted, including 12-year-old Lu, who was then taken back to the police station. (Photographed by O'Gallery)
Today, some netizens originally launched a march in the Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower. At about 1 pm, the police intercepted a number of citizens in the vicinity of the Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower and the Star Ferry Pier. At most about 100 people gathered at the scene. "Restriction order", asking the scene to disperse.
Nearly 3 pm in the afternoon, people gathered in Harbour City one after another, singing the chorus "May the glory return to Hong Kong", and some demonstrators shouted anti-revision slogans and waved flags. Before long, a group of riot police officers gathered from the Tsim Sha Tsui Pier on the long staircase outside the mall, and the citizens and demonstrators in the mall immediately scattered. About 10 minutes later, the riot police officers withdrew to the pier, and citizens and demonstrators gathered again to sing. Afterwards, the police said that it was reported that someone violated the "restriction order", so they drove into the mall.
Detain 2 student reporters of "Shen Xue Media"
At about 5:30, two student reporters of "Shen Xue Media" wearing reporters' reflective clothing were intercepted. They were 12-year-old Lu and 16-year-old Xie. The police set up a blockade line at the scene, and after inquiring the two for a period of time, they took the two to the police car. No explanation was given during the period.
Classmate Lu stepped out of the police station accompanied by his mother and a member of parliament. (Photo by Huang Weilun)
The director of the Hong Kong Federation of Social Workers Chen Hongxiu was present to demand confrontation with police officers, pointing out that student reporters should be exempted from the restraint order and asking the police to explain the reasons for the arrest. She also said that because the student reporter was a minor and protected by children's rights, she was asked to be accompanied by a social worker in the police car, but the police officer did not respond.
Classmate Lu: Some police officer laughed at my height
At about 7:35, Mr. Lu stepped out of the Tsim Sha Tsui Police Station accompanied by his mother and two District Councillors. Classmate Lu pointed out that he was intercepted twice today and asked similar questions, such as first asking his age. He continued that some police officers called him illegal child labor after learning that he was only 13 years old; another police officer laughed at his height. He emphasized that he has been cooperating with police officers for questioning, but the police said that his press card was not issued by the Association, and that he was illegal child labor, and eventually took him to the police station.
Mr. Lu is only a middle school student. He joined the student media "Shen Xue Media" earlier this year. He had previously interviewed in Taikoo Shing. Regarding why he went out for interviews, he said: "I hope to report the facts, and there are a lot of unfair treatments in the same sport." When asked whether he would not go out for interviews after this encounter, he once burst into tears. : "Possibly, Zhong Cong tight."
When asked whether he would stop going out for interviews after this encounter, classmate Lu once burst into tears and said: "Maybe, Zhong Shen is tight." (Photo by Huang Weilun)
Regarding why he is a reporter rather than a volunteer first-aid, he said that he was under the age to get the first-aid card and he also respected reporters very much, so he wanted to be a part of it.
Lu Tai: Son's interview is a growing stage
Regarding the son who went out for interviews as a minor, Classmate Lu ’s mother stated that she had been watching live reports of her son. When she found that the live broadcast was suspended today, she immediately contacted the phone. After the son responded to the sentence, she referred the phone to the police. She continued that she did not object to her son's going out for interviews, thinking that she was free, and that "a rare sight in a thousand years is a stage of growth, and you can learn to face the big picture with little knowledge."
However, she also emphasized that if the event is very dangerous, the interview will be blocked, and the son will be selected in advance. She continued that she expected that her son's height and age would be targeted by the police, but the son said he knew how to deal with it, and emphasized that having a reporter's certificate would also be able to cooperate with the police to intercept the investigation, so it was finally approved.
Regarding whether her son would be allowed to be interviewed again, she quoted the police as saying that if the son appeared again on related occasions, she would be prosecuted and held criminally responsible for failing to protect her underage son.
Regarding whether the son will be allowed to be interviewed again, classmate Lu ’s mother quoted the police as saying that if the son appeared again on related occasions, he would be prosecuted and be held criminally responsible for failing to protect his underage son. (Photo by Huang Weilun)
Today, Mother's Day, but finally spent in the police station, Lu also sobbed to his mother: "Happy Mother's Day, right!"
Yu Debao, deputy chairman of the Yau Tsim Mong District Council who assisted two student reporters, said that the two student reporters themselves were only interviewing, but were provoked by the police and even brought them to the police station for more than 1 hour for no reason. He said that the two were also given warning confessions by the police, telling them that if they were arrested again, their parents would also be prosecuted. He criticized that the police action was unreasonable and brought to the police station unreasonably. The two were not in violation of the restraint order, nor were they involved in illegal assembly or assault on the police, and would later ask for further explanation of the incident.
Another member of the Yau Tsim Mong District Councillor Chan Ka-long believes that the age of journalists is not a problem. Ethics and ability are more important. The police should not take action based on age. As for another female reporter who was taken to the police station, she left without being interviewed.
In the harbor city, student reporters were intercepted by police officers. (Photo by Kong Fanxu)
"Deep Learning Media" issued a statement in the evening, saying that the two reporters had not been charged with any charges, but the police said that if the two reappeared at the demonstration site, regardless of whether they interviewed or not, they would immediately be taken away and prosecuted their parents.
"Deep Learning Media" reiterated that all reporters are college and middle school students for voluntary interviews, so the two are not regulated by the "Labor Regulations" and the allegation of illegal labor is not established. "Shen Xue" emphasized that he was convinced of press freedom and insisted on reporting neutrality, criticized the police's behavior for completely interfering with reporter interviews, seriously affected press freedom, and would intervene with the police.
Police replied to the inquiry that today it was found that a crowd had gathered in a shopping mall on Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, and they persuaded the crowd to leave, during which someone held a banner, shouted slogans and undermined social peace. After repeated warnings were invalid, the police launched a dispersal and stop search operation.
Police allege that a 12-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl claimed to be reporters during the operation. They considered the safety of two minors and brought them back to the police station. They were not arrested. The police subsequently contacted the guardians of the two to take them away, and the guardians of the two minors also understood why they were taken back to the police station.
Mother's Day fugitive regulations