Hong Kong government supporters’ protest targets ‘biased’ journalists at public broadcaster RTHK’s headquarters
- Politihk Social Strategic, pro-Beijing group that organised protest in Kowloon Tong, says RTHK ‘should represent voice of government’
- Mostly elderly crowd taunt reporters from various media outlets, swing punches and try to hit cameras
Hong Kong’s public broadcaster RTHK and journalists from other media outlets became the target of hundreds of pro-government protesters who picketed the station’s premises in Kowloon Tong, hurling insults and attacking reporters for an hour on Saturday.
Politihk Social Strategic, the pro-establishment organiser of the rally, which also organised several pro-government rallies in the past two months, claimed more than 10,000 surrounded broadcaster RTHK’s headquarters in the hot afternoon sun. Police estimated peak attendance at 1,200.
“In the past, RTHK has always been biased. We demand RTHK hand over extra airtime to the citizens,” said Tang Tak-shing, chairman of the organising group. “We want diverse voices of citizens and no more anti-government messages.
“When all of the media is watching the government, RTHK should represent the voice of the government,” he said.
Tang said the group would form a “citizens’ production committee” to create programming to fill the extra airtime.
