WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1977
12
LAW AND ORDER AT FOOTBALL MATCHES
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FOLLOWING INCIDENTS AT TWO RECENT FOOTBALL MATCHES, THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE HAS REVIEWED ARRANGEMENTS IN AN ENDEAVOUR TO ENSURE THAT DISORDER DOES NOT OCCUR, OR THAT IF IT DOES, IT IS CONTAINED EITHER INSIDE THE STADIUM OR WITHIN ITS IMMEDIATE VICINITY, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES SAID IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. OSWALD CHEUNG IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
+THE COMMISSIONER HAS DECIDED TO DEPLOY A SECOND COMPANY OF THE POLICE TACTICAL UNIT, 108 MEN, AS A RESERVE TO COVER MATCHES WHEN LARGE CROWDS ARE EXPECTED.
+IN ADDITION, OFFICERS OF THE CID WILL, AS AT PRESENT, BE DEPLOYED AMONG THE CROWD, BUT IN GREATER NUMBERS THAN IN THE PAST, DEPENDING ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MATCH,+ MR. DAVIES SAID.
THE SECRETARY SAID THAT AT PRESENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH LONG ESTABLISHED PRACTICE, THE COMMISSIONER, AT THE REQUEST OF THE HONG KONG FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, SUPPLIES POLICE TO ASSIST WITH CROWD CONTROL DUTIES AND THE MAINTENANCE OF ORDER AT MAJOR FOOTBALL MATCHES.
NORMALLY, FOR IMPORTANT MATCHES THE POLICE DEPLOY ONE COMPANY OF THE POLICE TACTICAL UNIT AND TWO PLATOONS OF AUXILIARY POLICE, COMPRISING A TOTAL OF 143 MEN PLUS SOME 10 CID OFFICERS, WHILE AT LESS IMPORTANT MATCHES A REDUCED STRENGTH IS DEPLOYED, HE SAID.
NUMBERS OF TRAFFIC POLICE ARE ALSO DEPLOYED BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER MATCHES ON THE APPROACH ROADS TO THE STADIUM FOR TRAFFIC AND CROWD CONTROL PURPOSES, AND THEY ARE LATER JOINED BY FOUR MANNED VEHICLES OF THE EMERGENCY UNIT DEPLOYED AT STRATEGIC SPOTS TO MONITOR THE MOVEMENT AND BEHAVIOUR OF THE CROWD AT THE CLOSE OF A MATCH, HE POINTED OUT.
THE RESERVE COMPANY OF THE POLICE TACTICAL UNIT WILL IN THE FUTURE BE USED TO SUPPORT THE CONTROL OF DEPARTING CROWDS, AS WELL AS PROVIDING A RESERVE FOR THE POLICE DEPLOYED WITHIN THE STADIUM.
+THESE REVISED ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE WATCHED TO SEE IF ANY FURTHER ADJUSTMENTS ARE NECESSARY IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE,+ HE ADDED.
IN ANSWER TO ANOTHER QUESTION BY MR. CHEUNG ON WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SPECIFICALLY DRAW THE ATTENTION OF RADIO AND T. V. COMMENTATORS ON FOOTBALL MATCHES TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 26 OF THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR. F.K. LI, SAID +YES+.
BY THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION THE MAKING OF ANY COMMENT OR STATEMENT INTENDED OR LIKELY TO INCITE PERSONS AT A PUBLIC GATHERING TO DO PHYSICAL INJURY TO ANY PERSON OR DAMAGE ANY PROPERTY WOULD CONSTITUTE A SERIOUS OFFENCE.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON. JOHN HOBLEY, IN REPLY TO A FURTHER QUESTION BY MR. CHEUNG, SAID THAT WHERE THERE IS EVIDENCE OF AN OFFENCE UNDER THIS SECTION, CONSIDERATION WOULD ALWAYS BE GIVEN IN THE NORMAL WAY TO THE NEED FOR PROSECUTION.
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