A widely circulated video published by major media outlets including the BBC, New York Times and Reuters showing a Hong Kong police officer pointing the gun at protesters amid recent riots is one of the examples of how Western media spread distorted narratives about the Hong Kong police force but also help form a biased depiction of Hong Kong protests. 

The BBC ran a story with the headline "Hong Kong protests: Police officer points gun at protesters," indicating that an officer has been caught on camera brandishing a gun at protesters outside the Kwai Chung police station. 

Other Western media also published the video but almost none shared the footage to show why the officer did it. 

More headlines followed: "Hong Kong police officer makes a grave safety error waving a shotgun in protesters' faces" and "Hong Kong protesters call on Boris Johnson for help as police take to the streets with shot guns." 

But what really happened? Who is this police officer, and did he really make a mistake? 

Days later, the Global Times reporters visited this officer near his home after he was discharged  from hospital.

On the night when a large number of protesters surrounded the Kwai Chung police station where he worked, the officer said he received an SOS call and had to come out to rescue a person in need of help. 

He said as soon as he came out the police station, he and his colleagues were surrounded by protesters who attacked them with umbrellas, alpenstocks and bricks. One protester even tried to grab his gun. 

The officer was injured as his eyes and cheekbone were hit hard by protesters and he had no choice but to raise the gun to protect himself. 

Video footage obtained by the Global Times and interviews with senior police officers showed that his safety was seriously threatened by violent protesters and that he was legally justified to raise his weapon as a warning. 

Why did Western media only publish an edited video?

In the reporter's opinion, this was because they needed to support their narrative of police brutality.

Some so-called journalists on the spot  do not hold ethical standards during standoffs between police and protesters.

They constantly impeded officers to enforce the law by refusing to leave, focusing on shooting footage of the police force and provoking the officers using the excuse of free press. 

The officer has a pleasant manner and told the Global Times reporter he was on sick leave. 

"I have time to stay with my kids now, many of my coworkers have worked nonstop for weeks," he said, appearing tired. 

The reporter did not get a chance to interview him on the record, but the officer was still willing to talk as a friend. 

When not on duty, he showed up in casual sportswear and sandals, enjoying his time with his family. 

Hong Kong police are capable of holding these rioters accountable, he said in a message seen by the Global Times. 

While Western media are working very hard to smear the Hong Kong police force and escalate the tension between anti-government protesters and police officers, don't forget that the officers who safeguard the city and help restore order are also ordinary Hong Kong citizens. 

They love the city just like other residents and they have families and kids who live there. 

Take a second and think about when angry protesters stormed not only police stations but also police dormitories, accusing them of being brutal against civilians. Who helped demonize the Hong Kong police by inflaming divisions? 

Probably, it is just another example of why a growing number of Hong Kong people do not trust the Western media anymore, as their anti-China bias in Hong Kong reports affects public opinion and could just be part of tactics for a classic color revolution.