The team comprised of video journalists Rafael Wober, Hong Kong, and Bangkok-based Tass Vejpongsa; Hong Kong photographers Vincent Yu and Kin Cheung; and freelance producers Alice Fung and Nadia Lam, for dominating agency coverage – video and photos – of clashes between Hong Kong police and anti-extradition protesters who gathered around Hong Kong’s Legislative Council complex on June 12.
Only AP was live when the first scuffle broke out between police and protesters early that morning. And when more violent clashes erupted, only AP’s Wober captured dramatic ground footage as protesters started throwing objects at police who were trying to protect the legislative council building and eventually used tear gas, rubber bullets and other measures to disperse the crowds. The dramatic unmatched 30-minute footage was widely used by major clients, including Hong Kong’s own South China Morning Post. At a follow-up protest Sunday, The New York Times took the rare step of running AP live video as the centerpiece image on its homepage.
A protester is confronted by riot police during a massive demonstration outside the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on Wednesday, June 12, 2019. Tens of thousands have rallied against amendments which would allow people in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China to face charges.
AP Photo / Kin Cheung
AP photographers Yu and Cheung, meanwhile, worked tirelessly from late the previous night when protesters staked out positions and through the next day as the protests grew and then were eventually shut down. They coordinated with the Beijing photo staff, who prepped and sent their photos to get them out as quickly as possible. Prominent photo play included the front of Time magazine and The Times of London.