Police plan ‘snatch’ arrest of radicals at Hong Kong reform vote protests: source

Police will carry out targeted “snatch” arrests of people they identify as instigators if they believe trouble is about to break out at protests in the run-up to Hong Kong’s crunch vote on political reform.

Individuals seen as instigating confrontations with the police or trying to storm the Legislative Council could even be arrested before an offence is committed, according to a police source.

But the source declined to confirm that undercover officers would be deployed to infiltrate the ranks of protesters to identify potential troublemakers.

It is also understood that police will take a zero-tolerance approach to the occupation – or sit downs – on roads, said another source with knowledge of police deployment plans, adding: “Obviously it depends on how many people are involved. We need to make preparations and plans for illegal occupations involving a large crowd.”

Yesterday, the South China Morning Post revealed that in an unprecedented move, 200 police officers would be stationed inside Legco and another 1,000 outside the building today. Police previously said they would mobilise 7,000 officers from across the city during the debate.

READ MORE: Businesses based near Hong Kong legislature have plans in case pro-democracy protests turn ugly

At Tamar today, the police presence appears to be heavy in the vicinity of the Legco complex and government offices with officers in groups of four to five patrolling every corner from Admiralty MTR station to the harbourfront of Tamar Park.