Hong Kong protests: police on defensive as radicals threaten bombing campaign against officers’ living quarters
- Force to increase security around accommodation after online appeal
- Move comes after wave of petrol bomb attacks against police stations and patrol car in past 24 hours
Hong Kong police planned to increase security around officers’ quarters across the city on Thursday force insiders said, after an online appeal by radicals to firebomb their accommodation.
The threat followed petrol bomb attacks on four police stations and a patrol car within 24 hours in a new wave of action over the government’s failure to close the city’s border and supply protective gear in response to the Wuhan virus.
“They vent their anger on the force because they treat the force as the government’s fighters,” one source said.
The source said it seemed to be the “twisted logic” used by radical protesters to continue their fight against the government.
Enhanced security around police quarters came after a message of “burn doghouse” was posted on Telegram, an app used by anti-government protesters who call police quarters a doghouse.
“Police will enhance patrol and surveillance around quarters in an effort to deter such possible attacks,” another source said.
The petrol bomb attacks began shortly before 5am on Wednesday when four black-clad attackers hurled petrol bombs at Tin Shui Wai Police Station.
About 15 hours later, at least three petrol bombs were hurled at Kwai Chung Police Station.
At 11pm that night, at least two petrol bombs were hurled at a police vehicle when it passed through the junction of Nathan Road and Nelson Street in Mong Kok.
Shortly after 2am on Thursday, three black-clad attackers hurled seven petrol bombs at the Hung Hom Police Station in Princess Margaret Road, Ho Man Tin.
‘More dangerous’ petrol bomb recipes online spark fire service warning
Later that morning at 5.30am, at least two petrol bombs were thrown at Mong Kok Police Station on Prince Edward Road. Police were searching for a man and a woman in connection with the attack.
Police said no one was injured in the five attacks.
At about 10.30am on Tuesday, an improvised explosive device was discovered in a rubbish bin at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point. It was found about 12 hours after a public toilet in King George V Memorial Park in Jordan was set ablaze by an improvised incendiary device.
On Monday, a home-made bomb went off in a men’s toilet cubicle at the Caritas Medical Centre in Cheung Sha Wan at about 2.30am.
A message on Telegram said the Cheung Sha Wan attack was “just a warning” and “there will be more real bombs to come”, as closing Hong Kong’s borders was the only way to prevent the coronavirus outbreak from worsening in the city.
Additional reporting by Tony Cheung
