'Pepper Spray Use In Mong Kok Broke Regulations'

Human rights campaigners have slammed crowd control tactics employed by the police in recent days, saying the use of pepper spray without good reason is a violation of police guidelines.

The activists cited footage that showed police using pepper spray at close range without any apparent provocation and a large contingent entering a housing estate to conduct checks.

Footage of a pedestrian getting pepper sprayed in Mong Kok on Thursday night after talking back to an officer has also been circulating widely on social media.

An RTHK reporter also got pepper sprayed twice in Lan Kwai Fong when he asked for an officer's identification number, after he was pushed back by the police and had a flashlight shone in his eyes.

Claudia Yip from Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor said verbal challenges against the police do not warrant the use of pepper spray.

"The use of pepper spray is allowed only when police are under stress. There was no stress when a citizen challenged a police officer verbally. So this is a misuse of pepper spray and a violation of the police guidelines manual," said Ip, referring to the Mong Kok incident.

Civil Rights Observer founder Icarus Wong said this incident showed that some frontline officers are unable to control their emotions and are out of control.

He said police routinely claim that officers maintain a respectful attitude and take into account the dignity of those they stop and search. But their actions at the Tuen Mun Estate earlier this week were inconsistent with this claim, he said.

Wong said they had entered a private place even when there was no chaos.

He said he could understand the police's argument for using this kind of high-pressure methods if there is a need. But this, he believes, was more like punishment to show the public they have to obey the police at all times.