Angry Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam emerges after day of unprecedented violence and slams protesters but says she is willing to listen
- Chief Executive Carrie Lam holds 4am press conference and says she is ‘outraged and distressed’ by scenes at legislature
- But says she has reflected on events and will listen to all sectors including youth
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said at a 4am press conference she was angry and saddened by the violence and chaos. “I am very outraged and distressed and I strongly condemn it,” she said.
“We have seen two entirely different public scenes. One is a regular march on July 1. Regardless of the number of participants in the march, the march was peaceful and generally orderly. This fully reflects the inclusiveness of Hong Kong society, and the core values we attach to peace and order,” Lam said at police headquarters.
“The second scene, which really saddens and shocks a lot of people, is the extreme use of violence and vandalism by protesters who stormed into the Legislative Council building. This is something that we should seriously condemn, because nothing is more important than the rule of law in Hong Kong.”