Hong Kong protests: pro-Beijing camp squabbles as former chief justice lends support to commission of inquiry into police handling of violent clashes

Veteran James Tien calls on three advisers to chief executive to resign, including member of own party as Andrew Li says full withdrawal will help heal divided city

Almost one month on from first march which brought an estimated million to the streets, more rallies planned in Sha Tin and Tseung Kwan O

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Police and protesters clash in Mong Kok as officers attempt to clear protesters, before a row breaks out within the pro-establishment camp over culpability for the crisis. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 6:00am, 9 Jul 2019Updated: 9:51am, 9 Jul 2019

A rare quarrel within Hong Kong’s pro-establishment camp over who should take the blame for the extradition bill debacle broke into the open on Monday, as calm returned to the city after Sunday’s mass protest and late night clashes in the shopping district of Mong Kok led to six arrests.

As police came under renewed fire over their handling of protesters, former chief justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang lent his support to convening a commission of inquiry into the violent clashes between the force and protesters.

Li also called for a full withdrawal of the suspended bill as one of the ways to achieve reconciliation in a deeply divided city, whose government has pledged to rebuild trust, especially with young people leading the campaign against the extradition bill.

Tuesday marks exactly a month since the apparently leaderless movement held its first mass protest against the legislation that brought an estimated 1 million people onto the streets on June 9, followed by about 2 million showing their opposition the following weekend.

Former chief justice Andrew Li throws his weight behind a judge-led inquiry into violent clashes between police and protesters. Photo: Nora Tam

More marches are being planned for the coming two Sundays, in Sha Tin and Tseung Kwan O.

As part of the fallout within the establishment over the bill, a blame game ensued among pro-Beijing politicians as veteran James Tien Pei-chun called on three advisers to the chief executive to resign, including a member of his own party.

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