Post photographer Felix Wong beaten by Shenzhen police at protests

photographer Felix Wong Chi-keung was pushed to the ground and beaten by Shenzhen police yesterday, while covering anti-Japanese protests in the city.

Four to five officers hit Wong's face, arms, and legs with batons. Wong's face was swollen and a cloth he used to wipe the blood from his face turned red, as seen in television footage from a Hong Kong news crew.

The condemned the use of excessive force and said it would lodge a complaint.

"I was taking pictures of policemen chasing some protesters and suddenly one riot officer approached me," Wong said. "I put down my camera and put both hands up. I repeated in Putonghua that I am a reporter, but he didn't heed my words.

"I was pushed down on the ground and then some four to five officers came over and hit me with batons. I kept shouting reporter, reporter, but they didn't stop. They left when they saw my nose was bleeding."

It was noisy, but Wong said he believed the officers should have heard him. He was sent to Shenzhen yesterday as protests erupted over the Japanese government's decision to buy some of the disputed Diaoyu Islands. He was discharged from hospital in Hong Kong last night after being diagnosed with a fractured nose.