IPCC Critics Wrongly Influencing Public: John Lee

Security Secretary John Lee on Wednesday slammed critics of an IPCC report into the city's unrest, urging the public to read through the police watchdog's study to avoid being “wrongly influenced by accusations”.

The report found no systemic problems with the conduct of the police force over its handling of anti-government protesters, rejecting accusations of brutality and that officers colluded with Yuen Long attackers on July 21.

The findings were greeted with howls of protest by opposition lawmakers, human rights activists and pro-democracy groups, but welcomed by the pro-government camp.

Speaking in Legco, Lee put up a spirited defence of the report, saying it was drawn up after thousands of pictures and videos of protest scenes were examined.

“The report was based on a lot of information. It is based after reviewing over 20,000 photographs. Over another 20,000 video images. And as a result of receiving information through over 10,000 emails and 6,000 WhatsApp [messages],” he said, adding that anyone had been welcome to provide information.

“So anybody who tries to make accusations against the impartiality of the report comes from making accusation not based on facts,” he said.

“But [the critics are] easily influencing the audience because most of the audience probably don't have time to read over this very lengthy report comprising of almost 1,000 pages. So I urge everyone to read carefully this very lengthy report.”

Lee said it is a balanced report as it criticises the police as well as “the hooligans and rioters”.

“It is a fair reflection of facts that have appeared in front of all of us in the past 10 months,” said the security chief.

Lee also brushed off news that the foreign experts who quit the IPCC probe panel are planning their own report, saying the experts were only in the SAR for a few days "while you and I have been in Hong Kong for months".

Lee said a task force that has been established to follow up on the report's recommendations will meet next week, with officials and police representatives attending.