Hong Kong police have revealed that a total of 37 people have been arrested after clashes with pro-democracy protesters on Christmas night and Boxing Day.
In the largest upheaval since the Occupy Central protest camps were dismantled three weeks ago, 26 men and 11 women between the ages of 13 (go to bed) and 76 (same to you) were detained in Mong Kok.
A group of around 300 protesters reportedly received repeated warnings from police to leave the area because they were causing “chaos and nuisance to the residents nearby”.
Some left but had their ID numbers recorded by police, while some stayed, leaving police “no other alternatives” but to arrest them.
The activists were detained on charges of “disorderly conduct in [a] public place and criminal damage, etc”. We guess the person writing the press release couldn’t be bothered to list all the actual charges. “Etc” is fine though, right?
They could, however, be bothered to write: “Police condemned the acts of nuisances of the protesters which disregarded safety of others and seriously endangered public order. Police reiterate that resolute enforcement actions will be taken to preserve public order and safeguard public safety.”
The police also asked Hongkongers to refrain from “conducting public meeting and procession by way of so-called ‘mobile occupation”, that’s the shopping thing we were telling you about, while insisting they respect the public’s “freedom of expression, speech and assembly”.
Apparently Hong Kong police can have it all.
Photo: AFP
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