Matthew Cheung Says He 'totally Supports' Police

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung on Saturday evening said he “totally supports” the police and he’s grateful that the force has “fulfilled its duties in maintaining social order under enormous stress at this difficult time”.

Cheung’s remarks come just a day after he apologised over the police’s delayed response to last Sunday’s violence in Yuen Long, where people wearing white t-shirts chased and beat up MTR passengers and journalists.

He had said the force’s handling of the incident “falls short of people’s expectations”.

His words prompted an angry response from the Police Inspectors’ Association, which accused Cheung of writing off officers’ efforts and their sacrifices over the past couple of months.

A police union representing officers below the rank of inspectors also issued a statement expressing “the most serious condemnation” of Cheung’s remarks. The Junior Police Officers' Association accused Cheung of knowing nothing about how the force operates, saying he had carelessly passed judgement on the police before even carrying out an investigation.

Individual police officers have also protested against Cheung’s apology, with some posting comments online including “I have a clear conscience, why need to apologise” and “apologising for enforcing the law is unbelievable”.

Responding to an enquiry from RTHK, Cheung’s office issued a statement saying he will be arranging meetings with police groups to clear up misunderstandings and improve communication.