Hong Kong bans posting of police officers' personal details

HONG KONG — Hong Kong authorities have won a temporary court order banning anyone from posting personal details or photos of police officers online, in their latest effort to clamp down on the city’s protest movement.

The government said Saturday that the High Court granted the Department of Justice’s request for the interim injunction to “restrain doxing and harassment of police officers and their families.”

The wide-ranging order prohibits “publishing, communicating or disclosing” officers’ details including their Facebook and Instagram account IDs or photos of officers or their family members.

The order, in effect until Nov. 8, also prohibits “intimidating, molesting, harassing, threatening, pestering or interfering” with police officers and their relatives.

It’s unclear how authorities will be able to enforce the order and whether it applies to media photos of the protests.

Both police and supporters of the semi-autonomous Chinese territory’s protest movement have had their identities revealed in online forums.

Medical workers were set to rally Saturday night to oppose what they called “violent repression” by police in response to protesters.

Volunteer first-aiders have treated protesters’ injuries, including broken bones, at the scene or tapped underground networks of doctors and other health professionals to help with treatment.

Demonstrators have hurled firebombs and bricks at police and one officer was stabbed in the neck during the protests, which erupted in June over an extradition bill and snowballed into wider calls for full democracy and an inquiry into alleged police brutality.

Police have responded with tear gas, pepper spray and water cannons. On a few occasions they have also fired live rounds from their pistols, wounding a teenager in the chest.