Arrest Of Student Was Abuse Of Power: James To

Democratic Party lawmaker James To said on Wednesday that police have abused their power by arresting a student on suspicion of carrying offensive weapons after finding he had laser pointers with him.

To, who is also a lawyer, said that unless a person is carrying a weapon such as a knife, police cannot justify an arrest based merely on their suspicions.

The lawmaker was speaking after Baptist University Student Union president Keith Fong was arrested for carrying 10 laser pointers. The police justified the arrest by saying that Fong acted suspiciously when he was approached by officers, and because of the large number of laser pointers in his bag.

"If the item is a knife and the person acted suspiciously, of course the suspicion is enough ... to arrest for that offence," said To. He said if what the person had was not an offensive weapon, that kind of suspicion does not justify an arrest.

The laser pointers by themselves cannot be classified as an offensive weapon, said To. The multiple number of them found on the student also concludes nothing, he said.

To said he is sure that police were abusing their power. He told RTHK's Janice Wong that he is confident that if Fong approaches the court with a habeas corpus plea, the court will quash his arrest.