Reporters form human chain to fend off protesters
Human barrier formed to prevent anti-Occupy demonstrators from blocking paper's delivery
The pen may be mightier than the sword, but hundreds of journalists at apparently believe in safeguarding press freedom with their bodies.
Reporters and their colleagues have been forming human barriers to ensure their newspapers get delivered, after dozens of anti-Occupy Central protesters started blocking the road outside the Next Media office complex in Tseung Kwan O on Sunday.
The protesters are unhappy about the Chinese-language daily's boss, Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, backing the Occupy Central movement for democracy.
For four nights in a row, with plans for a fifth yesterday, they besieged the offices, even after Lai was granted a court injunction to stop the harassment.
The group has been blocking the entrance between 11pm and up to 5am - the period when the day's papers are usually sent out.
"This world has gone crazy and ridiculous," an reporter said.
"Because of their harassment, we have moved our deadlines forward to make sure delivery is unaffected."
Over the past two nights, more than 100 employees had stayed behind voluntarily after work to guard the entrance, reporters said.
"We are standing by just in case the newspaper delivery is blocked," another reporter said.
Next Media hired a dozen well-built guards to maintain order because of scuffles breaking out between staff and protesters since they appeared on Sunday night.
On Wednesday night, police deployments improved, bringing the situation under control.
The company has also aired broadcasts - in Cantonese, Mandarin and even the Fujian dialect - warning the protesters not to breach the court order.
Inside the offices and newsroom, staff members are constantly updated about the latest situation and morale is reportedly high. And to reward workers' efforts to fend off the protesters, the company has offered free food at its canteen.
"I've got mixed feelings. I am happy to see how united we are," said Choi Yuen-kwai, deputy chairman of the Next Media Trade Union. "But I also feel sad that I had never thought that, as a reporter, part of my duties would be to stand guard."
Choi said he had no idea how much longer the protests at would last.
"Some say they will stop coming [tomorrow], but others say they will not stop until the Occupy movement ends," he said.
