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Reporters form human chain to fend off protesters

Human barrier formed to prevent anti-Occupy demonstrators from blocking paper's delivery

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Protesters with flashlights try to block delivery of Apple Daily outside the printing facility in Tseung Kwan O. Photo: SCMP Pictures

The pen may be mightier than the sword, but hundreds of journalists at apparently believe in safeguarding press freedom with their bodies.

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Reporters and their colleagues have been forming human barriers to ensure their newspapers get delivered, after dozens of anti-Occupy Central protesters started blocking the road outside the Next Media office complex in Tseung Kwan O on Sunday.

The protesters are unhappy about the Chinese-language daily's boss, Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, backing the Occupy Central movement for democracy.

For four nights in a row, with plans for a fifth yesterday, they besieged the offices, even after Lai was granted a court injunction to stop the harassment.

The group has been blocking the entrance between 11pm and up to 5am - the period when the day's papers are usually sent out.

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"This world has gone crazy and ridiculous," an reporter said.

"Because of their harassment, we have moved our deadlines forward to make sure delivery is unaffected."

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