Junius Ho: CE Has Damaged Police Morale

Pro-Beijing legislator Junius Ho has accused the Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, of destroying police morale with her extradition bill apology.

Speaking on RTHK's "Letter to Hong Kong", Ho rejected complaints that officers had used excessive force in clashes with protesters outside Legco on June 12, when they fired tear gas, bean bag rounds and rubber bullets after protesters gathered around the legislature and government headquarters.

More than 60 protesters and 22 police were injured in the incident, and the Police Commissioner, Stephen Lo, defended the police handling of the matter, saying they were restrained and described the clashes as a riot.

However, police have been criticised, sparking calls for an independent inquiry that would also examine the conduct of protesters. Last week, four pro-democracy lawmakers lodged formal complaints against riot police with the Complaints Against Police Office (Capo).

Ho said he could understand the Chief Executive's decision to issue an apology, but said it had a negative effect on police.

"While the Chief Executive's decision on suspending the amendment bill - for the time being - was sensible, given the circumstances, her apology, however, left the Hong Kong police impotent, and their morale at an all-time low," Ho said.

He said police were caught between "the political debacle fabricated by the radical political spectrum".

He said they had been treated "unfairly and unfavourably", and called on the public to back them.

"The police force needs our support," Ho said.

Separately, several hundred people rallied in support of the police at Tamar Park in Admiralty on Sunday afternoon.

Those in attendance include a deputy director of Beijing's Basic Law Committee, Maria Tam, former police commissioner Tang King-Shing and movie star Tony Leung Ka-Fai.

Ms Tam said police officers have been suffering humiliation, and questioned the motivation of some anti-extradition protesters, saying some may be under foreign influence.

Last updated: 2019-06-30 HKT 17:00