Hong Kong security chief urges people to ‘get along’ in light of recent public violence, says police will deploy more ‘high-profile’ patrols
- Security secretary Chris Tang pledges more police patrols in wake of string of attacks in public areas, some linked to disputes
- He also calls on people to pay more attention to their loved ones so that those under immense stress can seek timely help
Hong Kong’s security minister has urged residents to “get along with each other” in light of a recent string of violent attacks in public spaces, promising police will deploy more manpower for “high-profile” patrols in crowded areas.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung also acknowledged safety concerns in the wake of wounding and murder cases in the past week, pledging that officers would respond swiftly to emergencies with more visible patrols.
“We will mobilise more manpower to carry out patrols on the front lines by simplifying backend operations,” Tang told a radio show on Saturday.
“But these cases are also related to tolerance. I hope people can get along with each other in harmony and show more understanding so fewer such unhappy incidents will emerge.”
The force’s Emergency Unit would also step up patrols with vehicles equipped with protective gear such as shields, he said, adding that more auxiliary officers would also be deployed.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has vowed to increase police presence in crowded places following the fatal stabbing of two women last Friday at Plaza Hollywood shopping centre in Diamond Hill. The suspect, who has a history of mental illness, was charged with two counts of murder.
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On Thursday, a 43-year-old woman, who runs a vegetable stall at Ngau Chi Wan Market in Choi Hung, was slashed down her back and limbs in a pedestrian underpass connected to an MTR station. The attack could have been sparked by a business row, a source said.
In another separate incident on Friday, officers from the Counter Terrorism Response Unit were called to Temple Mall in Wong Tai Sin after receiving reports from witnesses claiming a man wielding a table knife had chased a teenage boy. A police investigation later found the man was carrying a fork.
On Saturday, police arrested a man, surnamed Cheng, 27, at the Domain shopping mall in Yau Tong on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon. Police had received a report at 5.22pm about a man wandering around holding a 17cm paring knife.
No one was injured in the incident. The man was believed to have been drunk.
Tang also called on Hongkongers to care more about friends and family members so that those who were highly stressed could seek timely help.
“Some scholars have suggested that an incident might trigger some who are emotionally unstable to do the same thing,” he said. “I hope people can care more for each other and show more restraint.”
Hong Kong woman stabbed by stranger in pedestrian underpass near MTR station
The suspects included former Hong Kong Journalists Association chairwoman Mak Yin-ting, a man carrying a book about the play May 35 on the crackdown and a man wearing a black shirt with Chinese characters that read “I’m called a Hongkonger”.
The UN said it was alarmed by the reported detentions and urged city authorities to fully abide by obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
He said police had to take action to prevent the incidents from snowballing or others from hijacking the activities.
Tang insisted the laws were clear amid concerns over the lack of clarity on whether Hongkongers could still mourn the June 4 event publicly.
He added “no one is above the law” when asked about police action against Mak.
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But the security secretary stopped short of spelling out the extent of the proposed ban, saying only that judicial proceedings were under way.
Additional reporting by Ezra Cheung
