Cartoonist apologises after linking JPC to HKJA row

A political cartoonist on Saturday apologised after his latest work published on a newspaper linked the Junior Police Call (JPC) to a recent row over the Hong Kong Journalists Association.

The security secretary, Chris Tang, earlier said that HKJA had “infiltrated” schools to recruit students to become members, but the association has dismissed the claim.

The police have written to Justin Wong, a visual arts assistant professor at the Baptist University, criticising him of “making groundless accusations” and “smearing” the JPC. The force also demanded him to clarify the matter.

The cartoon was published in the supplement page in Mingpao on Friday, in which two students discussed joining extra-curricular activities.

One of them said he had become a student reporter.

“Were you recruited to join the association … so you could pretend to be a journalist and do whatever you want?” the other pupil asked.

“Where did you hear the fake news from?” the first student asked in response.

“I don’t know. Friends from JPC,” the other student said.

Wong admitted it’s inappropriate and unfair to involve the JPC in the row and it was never his intention to smear the group.

He added that he respects the contributions made by the JPC.