Film star Jackie Chan has warned that an attempt to collect protection money on the Hong Kong set of his latest movie could stop foreign film-makers from coming to the SAR.
The action star's warning comes after a film company shooting Rush Hour 2 was allegedly blackmailed by a suspected triad syndicate demanding thousands of dollars in protection money. Police sources say part of the racket was connected to so-called 'car parking jockeys' - triads who take payments to park restaurant diners' cars - who wanted 'compensation' for the use of parking spaces.
A 30-year-old man was arrested and last night charged with one count of blackmail. He will appear in Eastern Court today. He was caught collecting a sum - believed to be about $8,000 - in protection money at a cafe in Wan Chai, where the company was shooting the sequel to Chan's Hollywood hit Rush Hour.
'I am very disappointed. The case was widely reported by the foreign news agencies. It is a shame,' Chan said yesterday 'I worry that foreign film-makers will not come to Hong Kong to shoot their films any more.
'Just take this film, for instance. One hundred people have come [the crew], and many of them also brought their friends and relatives. It is a boost to Hong Kong's economy.'
Chan said police, including undercover officers, would be deployed to shooting locations.