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In response to an incident involving a reporter covering an event at the cruise terminal in Kowloon Bay today (June 30), a Police spokesman made the following statement:
During a visit to the cruise terminal at Kowloon Bay this morning, as somebody suddenly shouted loudly at the scene, a plainclothes police officer invited the person concerned to leave the place in order to prevent the order being disturbed. After understanding the event and ascertaining the person's identity as a reporter, he was allowed to leave.
Police respect press freedom and the media's right of reporting, and recognise the importance of facilitating media coverage and maintaining effective communication with them. The Police also implement measures to facilitate media coverage as far as practicable.
The Force has in fact implemented a number of measures to facilitate the media to cover the visit of the President. They included setting up press areas in the security zones outside the venues where activities were held, deploying Media Liaison Teams to assist the media at press areas, setting up media hotlines, and briefing the media on the relevant reporting arrangements concerning the visit of the President beforehand.
It is only an isolated case. Police expressed regrets over the incident, which has aroused grave concern from the media. We will conduct further investigation. Should there be any irregularities, we will deal with the case in an impartial manner.
Police Report No. 229
Issued by PPRB
Ends/Saturday, June 30, 2012
Issued at HKT 20:19
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