Exhausted, stressed and insulted: Hong Kong police officers soldier on through physical and emotional pain brought by extradition protests
- Officers speak of immense pressure brought on by extradition protests. ‘Sometimes we think we can handle it,’ an inspector says
- Some faced verbal abuse and violence from protesters – as well as cyberbullying and threats
When Ken’s wife asked him how he was holding up after repeatedly being deployed to recent extradition protests, the police sergeant always assured her: “Everything is fine.”
He thought he had succeeded in hiding his exhaustion – until the day he took a peek at his wife’s mobile phone. What he read brought him to tears.
“All along I told her I was fine, so she told her relatives the same thing,” said Ken, who asked to remain anonymous. “But she also told them she was very worried because she knew I was lying.”
Like his colleagues, Ken faced verbal abuse and violence from protesters, especially when tensions ran hot and clashes broke out. The most common insult has been “black cop” in Cantonese.
The protests have been largely peaceful, but officers like Ken have put in long shifts that sometimes lasted more than 24 hours without a proper meal or rest.