Second Hong Kong police union blasts chief secretary for apology over Yuen Long attack response
- Junior Police Officers’ Association slams No 2 official Matthew Cheung for his ‘irresponsible remarks’ and challenges him to take charge on Saturday
- Cheung had said the force’s handling of a violent rampage in the northern town had fallen short of public expectations
The city’s No 2 official will meet the police chief on Tuesday after his public apology over the force’s handling of the violent attacks at Yuen Long MTR station last Sunday drew strong condemnation from frontline policemen for dampening their morale.
Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, and Police Commissioner Stephen Lo Wai-chung, are to meet, along with four police officers’ associations, two of which issued strongly worded statements hours after Cheung apologised on Friday for the force’s handling of the attacks, which he said had fallen short public expectations.
The 25,000-member Junior Police Officers’ Association (JPOA) issued a statement at 1am on Saturday, challenging the city’s deputy leader to try taking charge of police operations for potential unrest in the district that day, and to consider stepping down.
Lam Chi-wai, the association’s chairman, said a meeting with Cheung would now be held on Tuesday.