ICAC Seeks Yuen Long Footage To Probe Police Role

Some merchants in Yuen Long have told RTHK that ICAC officers have been asking them to provide footage from their surveillance cameras, apparently to assist the anti-corruption watchdog with an investigation into the role the police played in the events of July 21.

On that day, a mob dressed in white t-shirts armed with iron rods and bamboo sticks stormed into Yuen Long MTR Station and attacked passengers. They apparently targeted those wearing black, who they thought may have taken part in anti-extradition bill protests held on the island side earlier.

The brazen attack left 45 people in hospital and police were criticised for not turning up for almost 40 minutes despite several calls for help. There were also accusations that officers who arrived later turned a blind eye to the suspected attackers who were believed to have retreated to a nearby village. No arrests were made that day.

Sources say the ICAC has set up a task force to look into whether any police officers committed misconduct in public office.

This comes after RTHK's "Hong Kong Connection" programme acquired surveillance camera footage from some shops on Yuen Long's Fung Yau Street North on the day of the attacks.

It seems to show several police vehicles went by without making any action despite the fact that hundreds of men in white t-shirts, some wielding bamboo sticks, were seen gathering around the area.

The New York Times also released a video on Tuesday, saying it had also found footage that seemed to show some policemen failing to carry out their duties properly.

Legal scholar Eric Cheung told RTHK that judging from the media coverage, there seems to be a reasonable basis for the anti-corruption watchdog to start an investigation into the police's actions.

The University of Hong Kong scholar added that somone can be convicted of misconduct in public office if he or she deliberately refuses to conduct his or her duty without reasonable explanation.