Riot police let loose with busts of pepper spray at several journalists in Mong Kok on Sunday night, even though there were no protesters in the area. The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) says police are "using lies to cover up the abuse of power by frontline officers,'' and it is time they stopped their "attacks" on media workers, RTHK reports. It said some journalists were pushed to the ground or pepper sprayed, while others had their cameras and mobile phones snatched by police officers. The association also dismissed an explanation by a police spokesman, who said journalists in Mong Kok were pepper sprayed accidentally because the situation was chaotic. A reporter from RTHK was among those hit by the pepper spray in Mong Kok and sought treatment in hospital.

Source: The Standard January 20, 2020 11:37 UTC