#PoliceState #NoPressFreedom
Reporters Wearing Press Cards Demanded For a Stop And Search in Hong Kong protests
Today marks the 6th mensiversary of the Prince Edward Station Attack on August 31st, 2019. Many Hong Kong citizens responded with flower offerings outside the MTR station. Two reporters from Stand News and a reporter who was broadcasting live was stopped and searched by the police. They were demanded to provide their Hong Kong ID cards even though they were wearing their press cards and were holding professional cameras.
According to the HKPF Website regarding valid reasons to stop and search civilians (https://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/11_useful_info/power_ssa.html), officers “have the power to question any person about a crime or offence” and “may demand proof of identity, conduct computerized enquiries and search for weapons or drugs.”
However, the condition for searching is that “If a police officer finds any person whom he reasonably suspects of having committed or of being about to commit or of intending to commit any offence, he can search him/her for anything that is likely to be of value to the investigation of any offence that the person has committed, or is reasonably suspected of having committed or of being about to commit or of intending to commit.”
Yet the reporters who were stopped and search were already wearing press cards with their names and photos printed on, while carrying professional equipment for live broadcast and photography.
Source: Stand News
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Ref: https://guardiansofhk.com