Chief executive says attack by Hong Kong protester was an 'insult'
A recent protest incident was an 'insult', said Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen yesterday to a minister in Beijing.
The comments referred to the actions of League of Social Democrats protester Steve Wong Chun-kit, who is being investigated after Tsang was injured during a chaotic protest near the entrance to the Museum of History in Tsim Sha Tsui on Tuesday.
Tsang flew to Beijing to attend the annual National People's Congress. He met with the Commerce Minister Chen Deming yesterday afternoon.
'How are you? You have not been knocked down - that's great,' Chen said to Tsang at the beginning of the meeting.
'How come there was such an incident? This was not respectful to the chief executive,' he said.
Tsang told Chen that law and order prevailed in Hong Kong, saying that the incident involved 'some people trying to politically insult me, who are challenging authority'.
The chief executive added that responsible citizens have spoken against the protest.
'No matter whether it was the media, associations or political parties in Hong Kong, they all criticised [the protesters],' Tsang said.
'Hong Kong is a civilised society,' Chen replied.
Before the meeting, Tsang told media that he felt better yesterday, three days after he was hurt during the protest in Tsim Sha Tsui.
It is still unclear as to how the chief executive was injured.
Wong, 25, was arrested on suspicion of common assault against the chief executive as he shouted slogans in front of Tsang. He was released on police bail while the investigation is carried out.
A spokesman for the Office of the Chief Executive said Tsang would assist the police investigation.
Tsang will deliver a speech at Peking University on Monday and return to Hong Kong the same day.
