A group of pro-Beijing protesters surrounded the offices of Next Media group on two consecutive nights over the weekend in an attempt to interfere with the distribution of the pro-universal suffrage media company's Apple Daily newspaper.
As the standoff between pro-democracy demonstrators and Hong Kong's government entered its third week, a small group of pro-Beijing loyalists temporarily blocked the exit of trucks loaded with copies of Apple Daily late on Saturday.
Specifically targeting the paper, the group allowed prints of the Metropolis Daily and the Hong Kong Economic Journal through the barricade. Authorities eventually arrived at the scene and delivery was unaffected.
A larger group appeared on Sunday, propping up tents at around 11pm and blocking first-run production of not only Apple Daily, but also the USA Today and The International New York Times.
The moves quite possibly represent the most direct use of force against an independent media group in the largely peaceful city's history.
The newspaper was eventually moved out at around 4:30am, but the blockade caused massive delays that will affect the day’s distribution of the paper, which is among Hong Kong’s most widely circulated.
While the exact source has yet to be confirmed, a price list indicating some of the demonstrators were paid has emerged.
The Pro-Beijing camp has a history of paying protesters and one such group, a subsidiary of the General Association of Hong Kong Heyuan Societies, recently admitted it had engaged in "protest recruitment", according to a report by the South China Morning Post.
Next Media group is owned by Hong Kong media magnate Jimmy Lai who has long been critical of the Chinese government and whose media group includes this animated news site.
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