Violence drags HK into era of terror: report

Watchdog emphasizes necessity for police force to develop new strategies

Hong Kong's police watchdog on Friday said the city is being "dragged into an era of terrorism" by the escalating violence and vandalism in the prolonged anti-government protests since June.

The 1,000-page report by the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) mentioned terrorism several times.

"From recent seizures of assault rifles, handguns and ammunition, and materials for bomb-making, it seems that our community is being dragged into an era of terrorism," it said.

"In the face of the challenge by violence and vandalism verging on terrorism," the report said the police "must formulate new strategic directions and equip itself with physical and technological resources".

It pointed out that protests in the last 10 months have "metamorphosed" from peaceful processions to extreme violence in the streets.

The scale of lawlessness and the degree of violence and vandalism have not been seen in Hong Kong since the 1960s, the report noted.

These violent protests have wreaked havoc in Hong Kong, destroying public and private property, disrupting transport services, and severely wounding many citizens holding different views to those of the protesters.

These protests were often followed by violence, which escalated to a level that signaled the advent of "incipient terrorism". It caused widespread vandalism to property and long-term damage to the economy, as well as vigilantism, the report said.

The report also vindicated the police's use of force in handling the violent protests as "necessary" to fulfill their duty to maintain law and order.

"While labeling police action as 'brutality', the protesters seem to disregard their own violence, vandalism and vigilantism," the report said.

The report also questions how the community and the media could believe that the acts of protesters were understandable while the police, in performing their duty to stop violence, were using excessive force.

The IPCC was tasked by the government in July to review major incidents and police actions during the social unrest since June 9.

The report noted that the internal orders and manuals that the Hong Kong Police Force have put in place conform with prevailing international practices.

The IPCC scrutinized the police's handling of key incidents, including the often-criticized Yuen Long incident on July 21, and the mayhem at Prince Edward MTR station on Aug 31.

While police handling leaves room for improvement, the hate messages against police and their families were blatant propaganda with little or no factual basis, the report pointed out.

"It is hoped that this study will enable a better understanding of the role of police in the face of such violence and their accountability under the law," IPCC chairman Anthony Neoh said in a news conference unveiling the report.

The IPCC made 52 recommendations to the police force.

These included reviewing guidelines for use of force, such as tear gas, and training of officers; reviewing the use of the internet for intelligence and real-time operations; better internal and external communication and coordination, especially with the public and the media.

Welcoming the IPCC's report, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said at a news conference that the report is comprehensive and based on facts.

The police force has been performing its duty to enforce the law and maintain stability, she said.

The Hong Kong leader said the government accepted all 52 recommendations put forward by the IPCC.

The Security Bureau will form a task force to follow up and improve police handling of similar situations in the future, Lam said.

In phone interviews, barristers in Hong Kong including Executive Councilor Ronny Tong Ka-wah, and Chairman of Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation Lawrence Ma Yan-kwok told China Daily that they found the report informative, and fair in fact-finding based on evidence, which can help the local and international community understand what exactly happened during Hong Kong's chaotic social unrest.