AL expresses ‘regret and condemnation’ over All About Macau incident

After more than half a month, the Legislative Assembly (AL) has expressed “regret and condemnation” regarding the actions of two All About Macau (AAM) reporters accused of disrupting parliamentary proceedings.

In response to the Legislative Assembly’s clarification issued on Wednesday evening, AAM expressed “deep regret” over what it called the assembly’s “one-sided statements and accusations.”

Citing Macau’s Press Law and the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Assembly, which mandate that plenary meetings be broadcast via radio, television, or the internet, and require designated seating for credentialed media representatives, AAM criticized the unprecedented incident of journalists being taken away by police during Assembly sessions.

The media outlet contended that this situation, which could lead to criminal prosecution for the journalists, demonstrates the Legislative Assembly’s disregard for press freedom in the city and results in continued obstructions to normal reporting.

It further stated that, “As the case is now under judicial proceedings, AAM will refrain from making any additional comments.”

The incident began in the middle of last month when three AAM journalists were issued “blue” press passes to cover the Chief Executive’s 2025 Policy Address at the Legislative Assembly, facing restrictions on taking photos and only allowed to observe from the public gallery.

The following day, they were denied entry to the Legislative Assembly’s main hall, escorted out by police, and taken to the headquarters of the Public Security Police Force in Pac On for about 11 hours of questioning. They were eventually arrested on suspicion of “disturbing the operation of the Macau Special Administrative Region’s government agencies” after allegedly “shouting loudly at the scene despite repeated warnings.”

In this regard, the AL clarified in its statement that the interview space and seating in the plenary hall are limited, arguing that the arrangements are “reasonable for ensuring the effective conduct of meetings.”

“Due to the large number of media reporters during the recent debate on the Policy Address, […] to ensure the normal conduct of reporting activities, the AL allowed reporters who could not enter the plenary hall to watch the proceedings from the public gallery after completing the necessary on-site filming,” it stated.

The statement further noted that during the three-day meeting on April 14, 15, and 17, some media reporters did not comply with the established arrangements, shouted loudly, and forcibly breached the security cordon, seriously disrupting the orderly conduct of the AL plenary session.

It expressed “regret” over this behavior and stated that the police were called to prevent the situation from escalating and to ensure the effective continuation of the plenary session.

The AL also emphasized its strong respect for the legitimate rights of the media and journalists to conduct interviews and report on events, while noting that these rights should be exercised within the boundaries permitted by law.