OpinionA retreat in political neutrality is a reflection on Leung’s poor leadership
Albert Cheng says the discontent with police behaviour adds to the expectation that Hong Kong may see a replacement chief executive
Since Leung Chun-ying took over as chief executive, the public image of the police force in Hong Kong has taken a bashing. The main reason is that, under commissioner Andy Tsang Wai-hung, the police have steered away from being politically neutral.
This has been clearly demonstrated by some officers' attempts to curtail press freedom at some events, such as by using their hands to block camera lenses.
Other actions have included overzealously detaining protesting university students and taking legal action against pro-democracy activists months after the alleged infraction, as well as standing by and allowing unruly members of the so-called patriotic groups to harass pro-democracy activists.
Unfortunately, all these actions have led to a public perception that the police are biased and have wandered from the fundamental principles of upholding and safeguarding public order and the rule of law.
Over the past two weeks, we have witnessed a widening rift between the police and the public.
First, at a public rally in Mong Kok on August 4, we saw police superintendent Gregory Lau Tat-keung, who was on pre-retirement leave, address the crowd and criticise a schoolteacher who swore at police officers during a separate stand-off a few weeks before.