Comments on Internet Instigating People to Storm Legislative Council Complex (2014/06/18)

MR YIU SI-WING: President, during the Finance Committee meeting held last Friday, a huge group of protesters stormed the Legislative Council, paying no heed to the possible consequences and many people were thus injured as a result. It is expected that on the coming Friday, protesters will recklessly storm the Legislative Council again, disregarding the personal safety of other people and their own. May I ask the authorities if they will give up the use of reasonable force owing to the pressure of certain Members or the media even when there is a risk that security officers or police officers may get hurt?

SECRETARY FOR SECURITY: President, thank you, Mr YIU. The police have all along enforced the law or dealt with matters in a professional and politically-neutral manner without submitting to the pressure from any person or the media. When taking actions or enforcing the laws, the police will stick to one principle, and that is, acting in accordance with the law. If anyone has contravened the laws of Hong Kong, and the offence is supported by evidence, the police will decisively enforce the law. And, regardless of whether a person is arrested at the scene or in the aftermath, the police will abide by the laws of Hong Kong and will not submit to the words or pressure of anyone in enforcing the law.
However, as I have said, I must stress that no one has ever exerted direct influence on the police's law-enforcement actions. Therefore, despite the heated discussions in society, the police will stick to the principle of acting in accordance with the law in discharging duties.