Hong Kong radicals’ attacks ‘show signs of terrorism’
Yang Guang, a spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on Monday strongly condemned radicals who threw petrol bombs at police officers Sunday night.
Yang Guang, spokesman for the HKMAO, said Hong Kong’s radical protesters repeatedly attacking police officers in the past few days have committed serious violent crimes and have begun to show “signs of terrorism”.
He said a very small number of thugs hurled petrol bombs at police officers at the police stations in Cheung Sha Wan, Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai on Sunday night, causing burn injuries to a police officer.
“We express our strong indignation and condemnation of this sinister, reckless and serious crime,” he said.
In the past few days, Hong Kong’s radical protesters have repeatedly attacked police officers with extremely dangerous tools, which brutally violate the rule of law and social order in Hong Kong, seriously threaten the lives of Hong Kong citizens and challenge Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, Yang said.
He said such violent crimes should be “resolutely cracked down on” in accordance with the law, and the HKMAO firmly supports Hong Kong police enforcing the law and bringing criminals to justice as soon as possible.
Yang called Hong Kong police force “the backbone” in maintaining Hong Kong’s social security and the rule of law.
They have been dedicated to their duties in accordance with the law over the past two months and their contributions to restraining the riots are obvious to all and have won praise and high respect from all those who love peace and stability, he said.
“Hong Kong has reached a critical juncture,” he said, adding that all those who care about Hong Kong’s future should step up firmly to stop the violence and restore order
HONG KONG – The Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Monday “strongly condemned” the violent acts by a small group of lawbreakers, after a police officer was injured by homemade petrol bombs thrown by radical protesters on Sunday night.
The condemnation came after many civic leaders also expressed concerns over the appalling acts by the radicals during multiple illegal protests at different locations of the city during the weekend.
During the violent clashes on Sunday, some rioters attacked the police stations with highly fatal and destructive weapons, including launched petrol bombs.
An on-duty police officer sustained burns on both legs after being hit by a petrol bomb in Tsim Sha Tsui.
“There is no place in the world that would tolerate such atrocious violent acts. Hong Kong will slide into an abyss, if such acts of terror were allowed,” the office said in a statement.
The most urgent, common aspiration of the public is to end violence and restore peace and order, the liaison office stressed.
Thus, it called on the Hong Kong society to firmly support the SAR government and the police force to bring all violent lawbreakers to justice.
Hong Kong police have exercised restraint and professionalism when handling the violent and illegal protests that began in mid-June, the office said.
To date, a total of 12 police officers have been injured by laser beams pointed at them deliberately by radicals using laser pens, according to the department. So far, about 700 people have been arrested in relation to illegal protests since mid-June.
The office expressed sympathy to injured officers and extended gratitude to the police force and their families.
By Zhang Yangfei and Zhang Yi | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2019-08-12 16:19
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