Police reputation in tatters across the political divide according to online survey of Hong Kong voters
- Nearly three-quarters of voters across the political spectrum say trust in the force has been eroded by handling of ongoing protests
- More than half say police actions have been harsh or excessive and nearly 52 per cent feel protests have negatively affected people’s trust in the judiciary
The reputation of Hong Kong’s police force has taken a severe beating across the political divide, with nearly three-quarters of the city’s voters saying trust in officers had been eroded because of the ongoing anti-government protests, an online survey commissioned by the Post has found.
More than half of those polled said police actions had been harsh or excessive and nearly two-thirds supported setting up a commission of inquiry into the force’s conduct, a core demand of the protest movement.
There was even greater agreement among voters on the city’s prospects after the long-running protests: almost 80 per cent of voters across the political spectrum and age groups were overwhelmingly pessimistic about their future in Hong Kong.
About 54 per cent of respondents said they voted for the pro-democracy bloc, while the remaining 46 per cent said they backed pro-establishment or independent candidates.