Hong Kong: US Flags-Wielding Protesters Occupy Airport, Assault Chinese Journalist

Opposition protesters in Hong Kong Tuesday occupied the city’s international airport for the second day as they waved waving U.S. flags and played its national anthem. Police began to surround the building, whilst inside, a mob attacked and tortured a journalist reporting for the Chinese outlet The Global Times. 

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As the occupation of the airport enters its second day, dramatic scenes were broadcast live on Tuesday evening, showing a group of masked protesters detaining and torturing a journalist working for the Global Times

The reporter was tied with his hands behind his head, was beaten and had lasers pointed directly at his eyes, before being carried out on a stretcher. The lasers have been prominent at the protests as a means of evading detection from security cameras, though protesters have also used it against police officers, causing injuries. 

The identity of the journalist was confirmed as Fu Guohao, a reporter for the Chinese Global Times outlet. The outlet's editor Hu Xijin, called on protesters to release the journalist and appealed to other reporters to help secure his release.

“Fu Guohao, reporter of GT website is being seized by demonstrators at HK airport. I affirm this man being tied in this video is the reporter himself. He has no other task except for reporting. I sincerely ask the demonstrators to release him. I also ask for help of West reporters,” he said. 

The Global Times is a China-based English language outlet. It is likely protesters attacked the reporter because he is working for Chinese media. 

Local reporter Richard Lai said the man's hands were turning purple from being tied, and that protesters obstructed medics from accessing the reporter, though others intervened to allow medics through. 

Earlier during the protests, U.S. flags were spotted. Chinese academic Victor Gao spoke to RT “Beijing has already warned against foreign intervention and has singled out the United States in particular.”

Earlier in the day, Hong Kong’s police held a press conference appealing for calm and against violence.

“If you still believe in peaceful, rational, and non-violent expression of speech, I appeal to you to cut ties with all rioters; we appeal to you to not let violence become a new norm. Please join us to restore the order of society.” the police chief said adding "I hope the public can understand that the police use force as a means to contain the violent situation and always uses force with restraint. We never wish to see any injury or casualties."

Protesters are angered at local authorities who they believe to be too close to Beijing. Despite being part of China, the area has a degree of autonomy from the mainland, and many do not identify with Beijing, with many waving flags of the U.K. and the U.S., rather than the red flag of Hong Kong.