0003160 G.F. 316
7.
(a)
(b)
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of such a nature as materially to undermine Government's authority in the border area. This covers all violent and criminal acts, including attacks and attempted abduction of security forces or B.T. citizens, and wilful damage to security forces or Government property, positions, vehicles or equipment;
of a less objectionable nature but persisted in to a degree which might erode Government's authority. This covers aggressive behaviour short of violence, provocative meetings, putting up subversive posters, threatening or intimidating B.T. citizens and generally demonstrating contempt for Hong Kong law. Specifically excluded from this category are :-
(i)
demonstrations or the display of banners, posters etc. which are not inflammatory either because of their nature or because of their location, e.g. in the Man Kam To lairage;
(ii) ephemeral and essentially trivial or
harmless acts of hostility or defiance.
The measure of damage done to the H.K. Government'. S authority by the activities listed in paragraph 6 above must be assessed in each particular case, political considerations being given due weight. As a guide, the farther away from
the frontier, the more strictly the law must be applied.
8.
(a)
Whether or not force should be used in suppressing any unacceptable activity must depend on the seriousness of the offence and the dangers of retaliation by the Chinese border authorities. Where retaliation is not a danger, all necessary force should be used to maintain authority. Otherwise, the risk of retaliation and the consequences must be carefully weighed against the seriousness of the provocation. (b) If force has to be employed, the principle
which must always be observed is that the minimum force necessary is to be used consis tent with effectively achieving the immediate object. (c) If an immediate restoration of order is not considered possible by persuasion or force, other means of re-establishing authority possibly by later action or by adopting radically different ways of applying pressure will have to be sought.
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