Chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Council, Larry Kwok Lam-kwong, said the recommendation was based on the situation five years ago, which “might not be practicable now”
CHRISTY.LEUNG@SCMP.COM
UPDATED : Tuesday, 24 May, 2016, 11:29am
Pro-democracy protesters gather outside Central Plaza as Zhang Dejiang gave a keynote speech during his three-day visit to Hong Kong. Photo: Felix Wong
The police force snubbed its watchdog’s suggestion to allow press and protesters closer to state leader Zhang Dejiang rather than placing them in a remote zone during his three-day visit last week, the Post has learned.
But the chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC), Larry Kwok Lam-kwong, said the recommendation was based on the situation five years ago, which “might not be practicable now”.
A member of the council, angered by Kwok’s response, accused him of turning the watchdog into a “toothless tiger”.
Larry Kwok Lam-kwong, chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Council. Photo: David Wong
During the huge security operation last week, police were criticised for setting up the designated demonstration zones in a place where there was no chance of seeing the motorcade of Beijing’s third highest-ranking official, let alone Zhang himself.
In an exclusive interview with the Post on Monday, Kwok said the force had so far received five complaints related to Zhang’s visit.
He also revealed that in exchanges before Zhang’s arrival, the council had advised the force to follow the watchdog’s recommendations drafted in 2012. This included placing the press and petition areas closer and within the security zone, as long as the safety of the dignitary was not compromised.
“What we have suggested in the past at similar events, we needed [the police] to try to incorporate with their security arrangements,” he told the Post.
But he added: “The security arrangement [of the police] is outside the duty of IPCC. [The police] need to make a professional judgement call.”
The police said in a reply to the Post that they had considered the recommendations but also needed to weigh factors including the global situation, latest intelligence and recent terrorist threats.
“Police reserved forward petition areas within security zones to facilitate members of the public delivering petitions during the operation,” a police spokesman said.
In 2012, the watchdog made a full report on complaints arising from a visit by then-vice-premier Li Keqiang a year earlier. . The report suggested the police set up a petition area where protesters could see the dignitary, otherwise it would not serve any constructive purpose.
Instead of standing firm to the words of his predecessors, Kwok said: “What was practicable five years ago might not be practicable now.”
Kwok said things had changed over the years.
“Since 2011, the security risk has raised substantially worldwide and in Hong Kong. Accordingly I think the two situations might not be comparable.”
IPCC member Helena Wong Pik-wan of the Democratic Party demanded a full explanation from the police on the security arrangements and accused Kwok of failing in his duties.
“Kwok should explain fully to us whether the five-year-old recommendation is still applicable and since when the words lost their meaning,” said Wong. “I think it is even worse than a toothless tiger. He wouldn’t bite even it had teeth.”
Another member, Kenneth Leung Kai-cheong, accused the chairman of not fully using his powers,
as there were many things the watchdog could do to supervise the force within its statutory duties.
Kwok refused to comment on whether the massive security measures were appropriate as he did not have enough information on hand.
When asked if police were justified in banning yellow umbrellas and towels around the state leader, he replied: “We have to understand the security professionals’ point of view, that [the items] might pose a security risk,” adding that he needed to look at the full picture before drawing any conclusions.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1952260/hong-kong-police-watchdog-chief-under-fire-force-snubbed
