Police pull out of Hong Kong hospital posts, blaming constant verbal abuse
- Senior police source says 24-hour services at Yan Chai and Queen Elizabeth hospitals suspended after officers branded ‘dogs and rogue cops’
- Hundreds of protesters petition foreign consulates during day before thousands more hold night rally in Central business district
The fallout from Hong Kong’s extradition bill controversy took a worrying turn on Wednesday with police pulling out of their posts at two public hospitals because of frontline officers being subjected to constant verbal abuse.
Senior brass speaking off the record said that while frontline officers would still respond when called on, maintaining their morale was more important than any negative impact from their absence because they were deeply troubled by the intensity of the public backlash against them.
Police were keeping a low profile again on Wednesday as hundreds of protesters petitioned foreign consulates during the day over the now-suspended bill, taking their cause to an international audience ahead of the G20 summit in Osaka this weekend, and thousands more held a night rally in the Central business district.
Many branched off from the main rally to descend on police headquarters in Wan Chai again, in what looked like a repeat of their radical action last Friday when they laid siege to the building for 15 hours while top brass, frontline officers and support staff were trapped inside.
A senior police source said the suspension of 24-hour services at Yan Chai and Queen Elizabeth hospitals was an interim measure before a meeting with the Hospital Authority to discuss the next step, after medical and legal professionals accused police of harassing hospital staff and arresting protesters seeking treatment.