Journalist group raises alarm

Hong Kong Journalists Association chairman Chris Yeung described the police raid on Apple Daily offices as "horrendous" and called on fellow journalists to prepare for the worst, particularly in light of what he called threats against the protection of their sources, RTHK reports.

Yeung said many people who have been working in journalism for decades in Hong Kong have never seen anything similar.

“Today it’s the Next Media, tomorrow it could be any other media organization,” he told reporters covering the event outside the Next Media office building in Tseung Kwan O.

The HKJA chief said aside from “direct” threats, such police action also “indirectly” imposes pressure on journalists.

He said he hopes Steve Li, a senior superintendent of the police’s national security department, would explain why officers were casually flipping documents on reporters’ desks, which could be sensitive materials.