Source:
https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3017463/hong-kong-protests-police-associations-demand-british
Hong Kong/ Law and Crime

Hong Kong protests: police associations demand British MP apologises for exposing senior officer who authorised use of force

  • Labour Party’s Helen Goodman asked what ministers would do to ‘bring British citizens who ordered police brutality’ to book during House of Commons meeting
  • Associations accuse her of exposing expat officers to vitriolic cyberattacks and physical threats to their families
Riot police use pepper spray to disperse protesters in Hong Kong on June 12. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong’s police associations are demanding an apology from a member of Britain’s parliament for naming a senior British officer as a commander who authorised the use of force against extradition bill protesters, complaining it had encouraged internet bullying of expatriate officers.

The four associations, comprised of representatives from junior police officers, inspectors, overseas inspectors and superintendents respectively, wrote to Helen Goodman from the British Labour Party on Friday, slamming her for naming a superintendent – thought to have given order to use tear gas against Hong Kong protesters – during a House of Commons meeting on Tuesday.

Goodman also mentioned that two other expat chief superintendents were the most senior officers in charge of crowd control during a demonstration in June and asked what the ministers would do to “bring these British citizens who ordered the police brutality to book”.

British MP Helen Goodman has been accused of encouraging a doxxing campaign against Hong Kong police officers. Photo: Alamy
British MP Helen Goodman has been accused of encouraging a doxxing campaign against Hong Kong police officers. Photo: Alamy

“By naming the officer, you have encouraged a doxxing campaign against that superintendent. He, along with the two other expatriate officers, have been subjected to vitriolic cyberattacks and physical threats to their families.

“It is evident to us that you have no understanding nor insight into what is happening here in Hong Kong. We can only surmise you are either wilfully blind to the truth or reading false reports,” the letter read. “You owe the superintendent and the Hong Kong Police Force an apology.”

The associations also stated that at all times during the demonstrations, officers used minimum force to suppress a rioting mob attacking police and that many officers were injured by bricks and spears. Some officers suffered from a corrosive substance being thrown at them.

Police fire a tear gas canister on June 12. Photo: Sam Tsang
Police fire a tear gas canister on June 12. Photo: Sam Tsang

The letter added that on the lead up to the handover after 155 years of British rule, both the British and Chinese governments made impassioned pleas for serving expatriate officers to continue to serve under the new regime to maintain stability in Hong Kong.

“The superintendents mentioned by you made that pledge, along with a number of other expatriates, to remain in Hong Kong, serve the community and assist in ensuring the safety of this world-class city.”

Hong Kong has been hit by unprecedented large scale of demonstrations and violence in recent weeks as protesters have taken their anger at the suspended extradition bill to the streets.

During clashes between officers and protesters who had surrounded the Legislative Council building and administrative headquarters on June 12, officers fired 150 rounds of tear gas, as well as beanbag rounds and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds.

Protesters against the extradition bill besiege police headquarters in Wan Chai on June 21. Photo: Edmond So
Protesters against the extradition bill besiege police headquarters in Wan Chai on June 21. Photo: Edmond So

Protesters also besieged the police headquarters in Wan Chai on June 21 and 26, sealing entrances, vandalising premises, and trapping police inside.

A police source said as many as 600 officers were believed to have had their personal data, including addresses, phone numbers and pictures, circulated online in the wake of clashes between police and protesters. Some officers received prank calls, others threats that “all their family members would be killed”.

The force’s Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau earlier said police had received more than 800 complaints from officers and referred about 150 of the cases to the privacy commissioner’s office for investigation.

Police had so far arrested at least nine Hongkongers for online attacks and cyberbullying targeting officers.

The Post has contacted Goodman for comment.