'Food inspectors not to blame for Mong Kok riot'

(CHINADAILY)

HongKongpolicemencordonoffanareanexttoburntdebrisfollowingovernightclashesbetweenprotestersandpoliceintheMongkokareaofHongKongonFeb9,2016.(AFPPHOTO/DALEDELAREY)

HONGKONG-HealthSecretaryKoWing-manwentonradioWednesday,todefendFoodandEnvironmentalHygieneDepartmentofficersandcalleditunfairtoblamethemfortheMongKongriot,atChineseNewYear.

Kosaid,hawkersorderedtobreakdowntheirstalls,couldhaveorganizedaNewYear’sfair,completelywithinthelawbymakingapplicationtotheirdistrictcouncil.Onthedaytheriotbrokeout,anauthorizedfairalreadywasunderwayonMapleStreetinShamShuiPo.KowentontosaythatprotestorswhoclaimedtocomeoutinsupportoftheunlicensedeventinMongKokactedintotaldisregardforthelawandpublicsafety.

Thestreetsceneeruptedinanarchy,ashundredsofprotestorssetfiresaroundMongKok,damagedpublicpropertyandfoughtpitchedbattleswithpolicewhowereheavilyoutnumbered..

Nearly90ofthemorethan120injuredinthemeleewerepoliceofficers.Manyofthemsufferedbonefracturesandfacialinjuries.

Thecity’sformerUrbanCouncilslappedafreezeonissuinghawkerlicensesfordaytodaytradebackinthe1970’s.Sincethen,therehavebeen61itinerantlicensesissuedforsellersoffrozenconfectionaries,and218newFixedPitchHawkerLicensesissuedbytheFoodandEnvironmentalHygieneDepartment,forothergoods.

Thereare,however,optionsforhawkerstoapplyfortemporarylicensesthatmaybeissuedatthediscretionofthedepartmentaldirector.Thetemporarylicensesarevalidforuptoamonthandsubjecttoconditionssetbythedirector.

KosaidthattheunauthorizedhawkingonthefirstnightoftheLunarNewYear(Feb8),posedadangertothepublicinMongKok.Hesaidthestreetswerecrowded,neartowheretwohawkerswereworkingwithhotoilontrolleys.HesaidFEHDofficersdidnotobstructthehawkers,butthatprotestorspursuedthethem.

Komaintainedthatthepublichastherighttocriticizecurrentregulations,butthattherecanbenojustificationforbreakingthelaw.