Hongkies are not just keyboard warriors, they take to the streets

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Hong Kong journalists take to streets to march for press freedom

PUBLISHED : Sunday, 23 February, 2014, 4:50pm
UPDATED : Sunday, 23 February, 2014, 6:50pm

Jeffie Lam [email protected]



Journalists march on the streets of Hong Kong to defend the city’s press freedom. Photo: Felix Wong

Throwing down their pens and voice recorders, thousands of journalists switched roles from observers to active rally participants as they marched on the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday to defend the city’s press freedom.

The “Free Speech, Free Hong Kong” protest was organised by the Hong Kong Journalists Association, who said 6,000 people had participated - six times their original estimate of 1,000 attendees. However police said there were 2,200 at the peak of the rally and 1,600 at the peak of the march.

The rally came amid a recent series of events which the group say form an attack on the city’s freedom of press and speech.

Incidents include the abrupt dismissal of Commercial Radio host Li Wei-ling, an outspoken critic of the government, and revelations by Chinese language newspapers Apple Daily and AM730 that mainland-backed companies and banks had pulled adverts because of their editorial stance.



Protesters hold banners calling for press freedom. Photo: Felix Wong

“If the freedom of press and speech is lost, other rights and freedom that Hongkongers are entitled to would also be affected, as the media would no longer be able to speak for the people,” said Ken Lui Tze-lok, committee member of HKJA.

“The media in Hong Kong is currently under severe threat, and our union understands that the work of public broadcast could not stand alone,” Bao Choy Yuk-ling, chairperson of the RTHK programme staff union, added.

“We hope a united action could help safeguarding the freedom.”



Former lawmaker and former Ming Pao publisher Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee was at the protest. Photo: Jeffie Lam

Over 30 staff and ex-reporters of Ming Pao newspaper have also joined the rally, holding up a big banner that read “Safeguarding the sky of freedom”.

Protesters gathered at Charter Garden in Central before proceeding to the Chief Executive’s Office in Tamar, Admiralty, where they will stage a rally to urge Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to uphold the city’s free speech.

The city’s press freedom has drastically declined from 18th position in 2002 to this year’s 61st out of 180 countries and territories, according to an annual report by Reporters Without Borders released earlier this month.



Rally participants calling for press freedom. Photo: Felix Wong

A government spokesman said that the Chief Executive had publicly stated in the past that both he and the Hong Kong government had attached great importance to Hong Kong's freedom of press and speech, and would continue to do so in the present and in the future.

"As freedom of the press and freedom of speech are the major elements in sustaining Hong Kong's status as an international metropolis and continuous development, the Hong Kong government will continue to strive to safeguard these vital core values," the spokesman said.

Regarding staff changes at media organisations, the spokesman stressed that the government would not and could not interfere with the editorial freedom, independent operation and internal management of media organisations.





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