Three HKU students decide to sue police

Three students, who were dragged to the ground and locked up during Vice-Premier Li Keqiang's visit to the University of Hong Kong last month, have decided to sue the police.

Samuel Li Shing-hong, a third-year politics undergraduate at HKU, said yesterday he and the other two students - who were from Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Lingnan University respectively - would apply today for legal aid to launch a civil case for detention and assault against police commissioner Andy Tsang Wai-hung.

'Our action aims to prove that the police actions against us were unconstitutional and undermined our human rights,' Li said.

The police have come under fire for their heavy-handed operations during Li's three-day visit on August 17 to 19. The Legislative Council called two panel meetings earlier this month to probe police action during the visit, but the government rejected calls for an independent probe.

The students had considered launching a judicial review against the police security arrangements, Li said. But after taking legal advice, they decided a civil case would be a more direct way to proceed.

Meanwhile, a man arrested for wearing a protest T-shirt during the visit said he, too, would apply for legal aid to take legal action against the police. Wong Kin was taken away by officers for wearing a June 4 protest T-shirt at Laguna City, where the vice-premier was visiting a housing estate.

A panel set up by HKU to review security arrangements during the visit is due to hold its second meeting today.