"The assault by protesters on Global Times reporter Fu Guohao is unacceptable", Martinez de la Serna stated. "Journalists from all outlets must be allowed to cover the demonstrations in Hong Kong without having to fear for their safety."
Fu Gaohao is a reporter for Chinese state-run tabloid Global Times. Protesters at the Hong Kong airport surrounded Gaohao, tied him up to a luggage trolley with zip ties and then beat him up, according to the livestream of the incident posted on Facebook.
An @AFP picture of Fu Gaohao as he is led into an ambulance outside @hkairport. You can see bruising to his head and wrists pic.twitter.com/s2euHk6qP0
— Jerome Taylor (@JeromeTaylor) August 13, 2019
Fu allegedly refused to show his press pass and said that he was a tourist when asked if he is a member of the media, according to local media, citing an interview with one of the attackers. Protesters have allegedly suspected that Fu was a Chinese police officer.
Protests in Hong Kong began more than two months ago after a local legislature opened debates on a bill that would have allowed extradition to mainland China. The city’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, has since declared the bill "dead." Protesters are demanding that it be withdrawn completely. Locals also want the city authorities to implement universal suffrage and retract criminal charges against protesters.
