We wouldn’t watch any group if it wasn’t breaking the law, says police chief after ban threat against pro-independence Hong Kong National Party
Stephen Lo refuses to comment on force’s recommendation that party be banned, in first comments since it came to light
Hong Kong’s police chief said on Monday the force was duty-bound to investigate and gather “criminal evidence” against any group found to be acting illegally, even as he declined to comment on the impending ban of a pro-independence party.
Lo refused to be drawn into commenting on the case and also whether officers were gathering evidence against other political groups that have advocated self-determination or independence on suspicion of threatening national security, such as pro-democracy party Demosisto.
In an 86-page document submitted to the Security Bureau, and sent to Chan on Tuesday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Rebecca Lam Hiu-tong argued that the party posed an “imminent threat” to national security.
The document came with 20 disks and 706 pages of word-by-word transcripts of the 51 speeches made by party members online, at public events and in media interviews. The party was given 21 days to submit its case as to why the security minister should not act on the police recommendation.