BACKGROUND NOTE
THE RECENT POLICE DISTURBANCES IN HONG KONG
1. Morale in the Hong Kong Police Force has been low for some years, largely because of the successful operations of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which was set up in 1974 following the conviction of a particularly notorious corrupt senior member of the Force. A recent series of relatively large-scale arrests of police officers suspected of corruption provoked a group of about 100 rank and file policemen, most of whom were actually under investigation for corruption, to organize a petition to the Police Commissioner. The petitioners were seen on 26 October by the third ranking member of the Police Force, who told them the Commissioner shared their concern that ICAC should follow correct procedures. The petitiners were not, however, allowed to see the
Commissioner.
2.
Dissatisfied, the petitioners organized a mass meeting the next day and, on the day after that, 28 October, some 2,000 off-duty police officers all in plain clothes marched to the Police Head- quarters. This time a delegation was seen by the Commissioner, who accepted a petition said to have been signed by 11,000 of the 17,400 men in the Force. Following this, most of the demonstrators dispersed but about 40 went to the ICAC offices. When they were refused admission a scuffle broke out in which some minor injuries and damage to property were caused.
3. The Hong Kong Government hopes that, following the meeting between the Commissioner and the police representatives, the heat would be taken out of the affair, at least while the Government considered the petition. But, during the following week, there were further protest meetings which showed the resentment against ICAC and its operations to be stronger and more deeply felt than
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.