'Tear Gas Tactics Put Protesters In Mortal Danger'

Former lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan on Thursday accused police of acting recklessly on June 12, saying their tactics while firing tear gas had put the lives of many unarmed protesters in danger.

Lee, who is a spokesman for the Civil Human Rights Front, said officers from both ends of Lung Wui Road fired tear gas, forcing hundreds of protesters to rush into Citic Tower for safety.

He said the police action was “getting everyone to panic and run into a very narrow entrance”.

"Police were squeezing people and firing tear gas from both sides," he said. "This was life-threatening. This was very, very dangerous."

"But the police do not care about the life of the protesters who were peacefully assembling there under a lawful permit," he said.

The front also filed a complaint against the police over the police’s operation, which left more than 80 anti-extradition law protesters injured.

The front said the police had used tear gas to disperse the crowd outside the Legco complex, even though they were holding a legal assembly there.

It also said officers did not warn the organiser and had given people no chance to leave before the tear gas started.