'Police's Ability To Protect People In Question'

The Hong Kong Bar Association (HKBA) has condemned the vicious attacks on MTR passengers in Yuen Long on Sunday night, saying reports of what happened raise questions about the police's ability to protect the people of Hong Kong.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the association said protecting the lives, safety and well-being of the people "is the first duty of any responsible government".

But it raised concerns about the police force's response to the attacks that put dozens in hospital, describing the violence as being orchestrated by "an organised group of gangsters".

The HKBA said reports of what happened on Sunday night "raise what appear to be genuine questions on issues such as the ability of the police to provide prompt and effective protection to citizens, the action or inaction of the police in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, and the role of the police or some of its senior officers in the attacks."

The statement noted the importance of due process for anybody facing allegations of wrongdoing regarding the violence and said the setting up of an inquiry would ensure everybody is treated fairly, including the police.

"Given the gravity of Sunday’s events, the HKBA repeats its call on the Hong Kong government to set up an independent commission of inquiry to carefully examine, among other matters, the administration of the police force in the past few weeks and to make recommendations to prevent the reoccurrence of such incidents."