SCMP: Riot gear to be kept in police vehicles following criticism of police preparedness for Mong Kok riot

RiotpolicefireteargasonstudentprotestersoccupyingstreetssurroundingthegovernmentheadquartersinHongKong.Photo:AP

(SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST) RiotgearincludingteargascanistersandrifleswillbeloadedontopolicevehiclesduringeachdeploymentinthewakeoftheMongKokriot,thePosthaslearned.

Onefrontlineofficercommented:“Topmanagementfinallywokeupfromalongdream.”

AtoppolicesourcetoldtheSundayMorningPostthattheforcewasexaminingwhetherallvehiclesfromtheEmergencyUnit(EU)andPoliceTacticalUnit(PTU)shouldbestoredwithteargascanisters,semi-automaticAR15rifles,FederalRiotgunsandrubberbullets.

“[Theimplementionoftheplan]isjustamatteroftime.ThemanagementrealisedthisnecessityaftertheMongKokriot,”saidthesource.“Ourtacticsneedtoberevised.”

RiotgeariscurrentlyunderstoodtobestoredinfiveregionalbasesandpoliceheadquartersinWanChai.Theweaponsarenotloadedontopolicecarsandaredeployedonlywhenneeded.TheKowloonWestoperationalbaseisinMongKokpolicestation,closetothesiteoftheriot.

EmergencyUnitofficers,whopatrolonstreetsandrespondto999calls,areequippedwithgearincludinghelmets,shields,MP5submachinegunsandRemingtonarms.

PoliceinactionthenightoftheMongKokriots.Photo:SCMP

Withprotestsbecomingmoreviolentinrecentyears,theforcehashadnotimetogobackandforthtocollectriotgear.

“Clashesbrokeoutinstantly.Iftherespondingunitshadenoughgearatthescene,wewouldnothavetowaitforanhourforthePTUtoarrive,”saidthesource.

ThebloodyovernightviolenceinMongKokonFebruary8leftnearly130people–includingmorethan90officers–injured.Apartfromthefiringoftwoliveroundsintheair,frontlineofficersusedonlybatonsandpepperspray.

Commentingontheproposal,anEmergencyUnitofficerfromKowloonWestwhospokeonconditionofanonymitysaid:“It’satimelywake-upcall.Finallythetopofficerswhostayintheirofficehavewokenup.”

JuniorpoliceunionchairmanJoeChanCho-kwong,whoisalsoanEUofficerinKowloonEast,saidhecouldnotwelcometheplanastheteamwassupposedtohavetheseweaponsinthepast.

“Whenourdutieschangedoverthedecadesfromanti-riottoemergencyresponse,thegearwasoffloadedfromvehicles,”saidChan.“Wearejustbacktothebasics.”

PoliceDirectorofOperationsAlanLauYip-shingearliertoldtheLegislativeCouncilthatEUteamswhichhadfinishedtheirdutiespolicingthecrowdsataLunarNewYearparadeinTsimShaTsui,weredeployedtoMongKokshortlybeforemidnight.MoreEUandPTUpersonnelwithriotgearweresentat1.30amafterriotersbecamemoreviolent.

AnotherEUofficerfromKowloonWesttoldthePostthattheteamwasaskedtobringfouritems–ballistichelmets,longbatons,gasmasksandriotshields.

“Weknewitwasgoingtobeahardbattle,soweaskedthetopcommanderatthesceneifteargasandFederalRiotgunswereneeded.Heanswered‘Ihavesaidveryclearlywhattobring’.Whatelsecouldwedo?”theofficerasked.

ItisunderstoodtheofficerwasreferringtoCrusadeYauSiu-kei,actingMongKokdistrictcommanderthatnight.

“TeargasisnolongeranoptionafterwhathappenedintheOccupymovement.Noonewantstobeartheresponsibility,”theofficersaid.

TheforcedeflectedalistofquestionsaskedbythePost,includingwhenthenewproposalwouldbecarriedout,andwhatgearwasloadedonboardduringtheriot.

“GiventheconfidentialnatureofPoliceoperationaldeployment,itisnotappropriateforustodisclosedetailsoftheoperation,”apolicespokesmansaid.

“Thelevelofforcetobeusedshallbeminimalandreasonablyrequiredundertheprevailingcircumstances.”

Inthelatestdevelopment,a25-year-oldmanwasarrestedyesterdayinconnectionwiththeMongKokriot.Thisbroughtthenumberofarreststo77.Atleast47havebeenchargedwithrioting.