Exclusive | Hong Kong protests: government unlikely to change its mind on inquiry into extradition bill clashes, sources tell Post
- People close to Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s administration exploring possibility of independent inquiry
- But police are strongly opposed to prospect and Beijing is not yet pushing for one
People close to the government have been exploring the possibility of launching an independent inquiry into the recent clashes between protesters and police over Hong Kong’s now-abandoned extradition bill, the Post has learned.
But a source familiar with the situation said the chance of a government U-turn was slim, with Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor caught between growing public demands for a commission of inquiry and the police force’s strong opposition to it.
A Beijing source closely monitoring developments in Hong Kong said the central government was open to the idea of formally investigating the actions of both protesters and police.
But if such a commission was put in place, Beijing would want it to be conducted in a fair and transparent manner, the source said.
At a high-profile press conference on Monday, Yang Guang, spokesman for the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, sidestepped a question by reporters on the possibility of holding an inquiry.