- Title: Hong Kong police says protesters use peaceful rallies to cover up violent acts
- Date: 16th December 2019
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (DECEMBER 16, 2019) (REUTERS) POLICE OFFICIALS ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE POLICE PRESENTING VIDEO OF MALL BYSTANDER BEING MOBBED BY PROTESTERS AND JOURNALISTS SCREEN SHOWING PROTESTERS BREAKING THINGS IN RESTAURANT (SOUNDBITE) (English) HONG KONG POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS CHIEF, KWOK KA-CHUEN, SAYING: "History repeats itself. What began as public gatherings in shopping malls quickly turned into violent clash and mass destruction of properties. The truth speaks for itself. The so-called song singing or slow chanting were all cover-ups for the rioting act that followed." HONG KONG POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS CHIEF SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) HONG KONG POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS CHIEF, KWOK KA-CHUEN, SAYING: "Over the past week, the police arrest 99 people consisting of 72 males and 27 females aged between 12 and 54. Offences include unlawful assembly, taking part in a riot, wounding and obstructing police officer." NEWS CONFERENCE ONGOING (SOUNDBITE) (English) HONG KONG POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS CHIEF, KWOK KA-CHUEN, SAYING: "Actually, we are very concerned about the crime situation in Hong Kong. That's why we appeal to the public support to stop the violence, not to support those violent protests or rioting act because all those criminal behavior, we need to spend a lot of manpower quite extensively to handle those instance and that's why we have to readjust our policing resources on the duty policing and we appeal for support, without public support, we won't be able to a very low crime rate. I think all people in Hong Kong would like to see a safe city. We used to be a very safe city six months ago, but somehow we face a lot of challenges by those rioting acts and the violent protesters' unresponsible behavior'." NEWS CONFERENCE ENDING
- Embargoed: 30th December 2019 10:34
- Keywords:
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: China
- Reuters ID: LVA001BA851S7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: PART AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING
Hong Kong police said on Monday (December 16) that protesters have been using peaceful gatherings like singing and chanting rallies to cover up violent acts, a day after police scuffled with protesters smashing glass panes and blocking entrances at a mall.
On Sunday (December 15) in the peak shopping season ahead of Christmas, groups of masked protesters, clad in black, marched through several malls chanting slogans including "Fight for freedom" and "Return justice to us".
Police public relations chief Kwok Ka-chuen said the constant clashes with protesters stretched police resources, causing concern.
Hong Kong has been embroiled in its worst political crisis in decades since June with anti-government protests posing a populist challenge to China's Xi and complicating ties between China and the United States at a time of heightened tensions including over trade.
(Production: Ronn Bautista) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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