A group of 30 protesters arrested over the Occupy movement said yesterday they were seeking legal advice over what they allege were improper detention procedures and inhuman treatment at the hands of police. It comes as the leaders of Hong Kong Shield, a group of more than 50 local cultural figures including Canto-pop singer Denise Ho Wan-see, are set to meet with the police watchdog to express their concerns over allegations of excessive force in handling the protests. Some protesters, many of them students, sustained wounds after police used batons against their attempt to storm government headquarters last week, said a spokesman for the group, Timothy Lee Ho-yin. The clashes took place on November 30 and early on December 1 on Lung Wo Road, where officers used batons, pepper spray and a powerful water jet to disperse protesters. "Many of the protesters were covered in blood after they were arrested," Lee said. "But the police refused to send some of them to hospital for treatment until three hours later." Some were made to wait hours before gaining permission to go to the washroom, and were given rubbish bags to keep themselves warm at North Point police station, Lee said yesterday. Repeated requests from those arrested to turn off a large fan in the detention centre where they were held were refused. Lee said "the police officers told them there was no switch to turn the fan off". A few of those arrested were detained for over 24 hours, he said. Lee believed the treatment was in breach of Article 28 of the Basic Law, and violated the International Bill of Human Rights. He said 30 of those arrested were seeking legal advice on whether to take action over their treatment. Hong Kong Shield spokesman Adrian Chow said his group would be meeting with the Independent Police Complaints Council today. Albert Li Sau-Sang, chairman of the Hong Kong Confederation of Tertiary Institutes Staff Unions, condemned what he called excessive force. "There is no need to use batons to beat the students on the head again and again," he said. "It has damaged the professional and civilised image of the Hong Kong police force. As a teacher, we need to say thank you to these students, who are the conscience of society and the future of Hong Kong." Hundreds of parents attended a march, organised by the Umbrella Parents concern group, to police headquarters in Wan Chai yesterday to protest against the police tactics. A letter of complaint addressed to police chief Andy Tsang Wai-hung was handed to officers outside the building. Organisers estimated 2,000 people attended the march.
