Police Clashes Need Independent Probe, Say Lawyers

A barrister from the Progressive Lawyers Group says the clear hostility from police towards protesters during clashes outside Legco on June 12 shows the need for an independent inquiry.

Police used tear gas, batons, and rubber bullets on people protesting against the government's now-suspended extradition bill.

Barrister Geoffrey Yeung says the whole police approach to the mass protest needs to be examined: "We could see for example that there's clear hostility towards journalists or the protesters at the scene; whether there was something that went wrong."

He said: "And secondly for example, the command on that day: were the guidelines on use of force, were they adequate? Was it because the police officers went off the guidelines or was it because the guidelines themselves were problematic or was it because there were certain conditions creating impunity for deviating from the guidelines?

"So all these are matters that are not just about individual incidences but they would hint at wider-scale, more comprehensive review and reform."

Officials and police say some but not all the protesters dug up paving stones, threw railings and tries to storm the Legco building.