Three protesters were remanded in custody and another one was granted bail after they assaulted a Chinese mainland journalist at Hong Kong airport earlier in August, according to the local court on Tuesday.
Four protesters were charged with rioting and illegal imprisonment of others, among other charges. The case was adjourned until January 21, 2020, the court said.
This violent incident, which has aroused widespread condemnation and outrage on social media, involved reporter Fu Guohao from the Chinese mainland media outlet Global Times, who was brutally assaulted and seriously injured by the protesters at the airport.
Global Times reporter Fu Guohao, attacked by radical protesters at Hong Kong International Airport, August 13, 2019. /AFP Photo
According to witnesses, Fu was wearing a bright yellow vest with a "Press" label and carrying out his reporting duties, when he was beaten and tied up by radical protesters.
The violent protesters pinned him to the ground, seized his belongings and an "I Love Hong Kong Police" T-shirt from him, as others tried to step in and stop the violence. Fu was seen rolling on the ground with bruises on his body and his head bleeding.
After the incident happened, the All-China Journalists Association expressed "great anger" and "strong condemnation" in response to the attack on reporter Fu Guohao.