Protests Challenging Nation's Sovereignty: CE

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Hong Kong is no longer a safe city, and that violent protesters are not challenging the controversial extradition bill, but the nation’s sovereignty and the One Country, Two Systems principle.

Speaking on Monday morning as a mass strike is underway, Lam said the nature of the protests has changed as protesters are now advocating “a revolution” and no longer targeting the now-suspended extradition bill, but to “bring down” Hong Kong and “destroy the way of life cherished by the seven million people” who live here.

She urged the people of Hong Kong to rally together to set aside their differences, to restore order and say no to chaos and violence.

Surrounded by her policy secretaries at a hastily arranged news conference amid the transport chaos brought by a general strike, Lam said the protests sparked by her extradition bill in early June "have gone beyond the fugitive offenders bill" particularly as she announced the bill dead sometime ago.

"Such extensive disruptions in the name of certain demands... have seriously undermined Hong Kong's law and order and are pushing our city - the city we all love and many of us helped to build - to the verge of a very dangerous situation," Lam said.

"As a result of these widespread disruptions and violence, the great majority of Hong Kong people are now in a state of great anxiety.

"The government will be resolute in maintaining law and order in Hong Kong and restoring confidence," Lam said.

But apart from appealing to people to rally together to restore order, the Chief Executive offered nothing new as to what she and her government intended to do to end the crisis.

Lam said she noted some people are going on strike on Monday, but called on them to “respect other people’s right to go to work”, especially grassroot workers.

Lam was also asked how allegations of the police abusing their power would be followed up, following latest criticism of attacks on bystanders and photos of a group of male officers carrying away a young woman whose shorts and underpants had fallen off.

The Chief Executive reiterated the government’s support for the force.

"The police force is safeguarding Hong Kong’s law and order, and ensuring Hong Kong’s continued safety. This is what they have achieved over many years of hard work, to become Asia’s finest,” Lam said.

"It is true and I’m very sad every time I meet with the commissioner, that the force is under extreme pressure in enforcing the law during very difficult situations. And so, I also appeal to the media to have a bit more understanding of the difficulties faced by the police during this very difficult period,” she said.

Lam once again rejected the five major demands of protesters, including the setting up of an independent inquiry into the saga and the complete withdrawal of the extradition bill.

Speaking in public for the first time in two weeks, she insisted her government will continue to “listen more” and “engage more”, and explained that she could not have met the media more often, because wherever she went, she was greeted by radical protests.

And amid appeals for civil servants to stay neutral and loyal to the administration, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung was asked about police criticism of him after he apologised to the public for the way the force handled the July 21 Yuen Long attack.

Cheung said one should be objective and not pass judgement hastily "when the incident is still ongoing".

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