Row As Council Bans Police Chief From Meeting

A row has broken out after 14 pro-democracy members of Kowloon City District Council told the police chief to stay away from their meeting on Thursday.

Commissioner Chris Tang accused the pan-democrats of being scared to communicate with him, while the Home Affairs Bureau, which oversees the council, expressed regret at the decision.

Meetings between Tang and district councillors have often been fiery affairs since pan-democrats won majorities on 17 of the 18 councils in November's elections. He's often faced intense questioning on policing controversies, and has strong defended the force in response.

However Kowloon City council has taken a different approach, telling Tang to stay away because they don't want to give him a platform for what they call a "hypocritical political show". They asked that the agenda item he is due to speak on be scrapped.

The Home Affairs Bureau said the council had closed the door on communication and cooperation with the police. It urged councillors to focus on livelihood issues in the district.

Mr Tang also cried foul, accusing the councillors of running scared.

The councillors, meanwhile, said that officials had chosen to skip meetings in the past, and that they were just acting in accordance with meeting rules. Tang will not be at the meeting.