Police have said they will investigate a claim made by a university student during an open forum last night that she was sexually assaulted while being held in police custody following an intense night of protests on Aug. 31.
In a statement published late last night, police said they were aware of the allegation made by the female student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong during a dialogue session between the university’s vice chancellor, students, staff, and alumni.
“The Police accord high priority to such a serious allegation,” the statement reads. “So far, the Complaints Against Police Office has not received any complaint of sexual assault related to the San Uk Ling Holding Centre. We will proactively contact the female and appeal to her to provide concrete evidence so that we can launch a fair fact-finding investigation as soon as possible.”
https://www.facebook.com/HongKongPoliceForce/posts/2668608223227125?__xts__[0]=68.ARCqBAmIgWsoXATU2t5cQwBmN7r51zZJRo2U9uDjaswjwYEzA3UnXw31Xtd1KQWlVaquJqN1Hdc_g_6n1X_mp3gF_9_WFGmTadYQYQ1b6Mo2gtmk_vRK9PoSgCWMd4Ftmho6bxyYc3_3BkWBFNU0WiCoD3IUSbVUbXGC_IG4ZaKiLvPRsZ2eZlw6a-3-3b1V1rdVzZisNugD-65Rhe8XW5facK8c8ggFjycgXR4S71IWkTdiZRvaoXJq9rvJbs86G9vvt8OOacgm3dx_NTFZVVCnnE4xGcn3NZhcwvQGU9PSB4rWi-arkpSsTrGDAEYNhCnA7B0T01Q_yg22DeAwxw&__tn__=-R
The statement came after video of the student’s tearful testimony began circulating online.
During the dialogue session with CUHK Vice Chancellor Rocky Tuan, the young woman revealed she was held at San Uk Ling — a remote holding center in the New Territories near the mainland border — after being arrested at Prince Edward MTR on Aug. 31, the night dozens of riot police rushed into the station and began beating and pepper-spraying protesters and passengers inside the station and a train carriage.
The student, surnamed Ng, alleged that prior to being sent there, while she was being held at the Kwai Chung police station, she and other detainees were made to go into a dark room and remove their clothes, and that she was assaulted in the pitch-black holding cell where detainees were body-searched.
Ng did not describe the nature of the alleged assault, but media reports today have said she is the same person as a “Miss S,” who made similar claims at an anti-San Uk Ling rally at Edinburgh Place in late September.
At the time, the SCMP reported that the student said she was groped by a male officer while he fitted her with a plastic identity bracelet.
“He slapped my chest,” she said of the officer, asking why nearby female officers had not been charged with the task.
The young woman also accused two female officers of looking at her genitals while she used the toilet in a cell at Kwai Chung police station.
20:20 This speaker says she was held captive at the San Uk Ling Holding Centre. She bursts into tears when she talks about the sexual violence she experienced there. She urges the Vice-Chancellor can show consideration and sympathy for students. pic.twitter.com/NGlIM7V0Z5
— Varsity CUHK (@varsitycuhk) October 10, 2019
Ng said at last night’s forum that she felt compelled to talk about her experience as she comes from an abusive family, adding that she considers her only family to be the university, and that she hoped it would show care for its arrested “family members.” Partway through her testimony, she also removed her face mask.
“I hope that when we have been beaten and sexually abused that you will first show your concern for us, rather than chastising us for breaking a piece of glass,” she said.
“I understand you have the interest of the school and that of different parties to balance, but I have the courage to stand by my story with my mask removed. Do you have the courage to stand by your students to condemn the police’s brutality against people who are arrested, including students from CUHK?”
There were some intense scenes at the dialogue, which saw students urge the vice chancellor to issue a statement condemning the police brutality against detainees.
As protests have rocked the city for the past four months, universities have found themselves forced to choose between supporting their students — many of whom have been arrested for taking part in the demonstrations — or condemning the protesters as rioters.
According to RTHK, after the dialogue officially ended at 9pm, some students prevented Vice Chancellor Tuan from leaving the hall, and some were filmed breaking into tears after he refused to issue a statement condemning the police violence.
CUHK students begged their Principal to stand with them and blame the violence of police. He rejected and left with security guard. They cried so bad and the Vice Principal comforted them. #CUHK is built for establishing a democratic country since 1845. #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/77MxYlSBhy
— Joy (@JoyFromHongKong) October 10, 2019
Tuan then decided to have a closed-door meeting with some students for two hours. Addressing reporters just before midnight, he said that the chat was “very effective,” and promised to improve communication with students going forward.
San Uk Ling has itself been a source of controversy during the recent demonstrations, with multiple detainees alleging that they suffered abuse there.
Police have denied that any abuse of detainees took place at the holding center, but that hasn’t been enough to put the concerns of protesters at ease.
Amid the controversy, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said during a town hall meeting last month that anti-government protesters would no longer be held at San Uk Ling.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated that Ng alleged she was sexually assaulted by police at San Uk Ling. In fact, she said she was assaulted at Kwai Chung police station, prior to being transported to San Uk Ling. Coconuts HK apologizes for any confusion caused.
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