Hong Kong police caution against rise in arrests of students over anti-government protests
- Chief Superintendent John Tse says it is worrying to see the youths breaking the law and risking themselves to face criminal convictions at a young age
- Education minister Kevin Yeung urges teachers and parents to be careful of children’s activities ahead of National Day celebrations on October 1
Hong Kong police have cautioned against an alarming surge in the number of students arrested during the anti-government protests since the start of the school year, as the education chief appealed to headmasters and parents to urge the youngsters not to join potentially dangerous protests.
Police sources said among the 1,046 people arrested during the anti-extradition bill protests between June 9 and August 31, a quarter or 257 were secondary school and university students.
But of the 550 people arrested over the protests since September 1, about 207 were students, accounting for about 38 per cent.
Chief Superintendent John Tse Chun-chung from the force’s public relations branch said: “It’s an alarming trend. It is worrying to see the youths breaking the law and risking themselves to face criminal convictions at such a young age.
“They may act under peer pressure or may be manipulated by others in committing such serious crimes.”