Police confirmed this afternoon that they have arrested two of their own after a pro-democracy lawmaker released shocking footage of two cops assaulting an elderly suspect who was strapped to a hospital bed after being arrested for allegedly drunkenly assaulting an officer.
The footage sparked fresh outrage during what has already been a low point in public-police relations after it was disseminated at a press conference earlier today by pro-democracy lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting. It shows the suspect — a man surnamed Chung, who was arrested after police responded to a drunken fight in the New Territories — strapped to a bed while two officers repeatedly punch him in the crotch and abdomen, shine bright lights into his eyes, jab him in the genitals with their batons, and smear his face with what the man’s children said was a urine-soaked cloth.
Chief Superintendent John Tse today called the case “very serious,” and said two officers had been arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
However, he also revealed that police had been aware of the case for well over a month after Chung’s son filed a complaint, but the investigation had floundered after they were unable to reach the son later. Tse maintained that police had been unaware there was CCTV footage of the assault, and that the camera was “hidden.”
But Tse insisted that police force hadn’t neglected their duties in investigating the complaint.
“The police investigated the case according to our past experience, and we [unsuccessfully] contacted the complainant up to four times,” he said. “We conducted a basic investigation.”
But given the soaring mistrust in the police force thanks to their increasingly heavy-handed response to Hong Kong’s long-running protest movement, many were quick to question whether the two officers would ultimately be brought to justice.
“It is police investigating themselves, you think they will be fair?” on LIHKG user asked.
Others took issue with the comparatively light charge.
“They should be charged with torture! Assault occasioning actual bodily harm is not enough, now they’re just randomly picking a minor offense to shut us up.”
Assault occasioning bodily harm is punishable by up to three years in prison, while torture is punishable by life behind bars.
Lam Cheuk-ting, the lawmaker who released the video and is assisting Chung’s family, also responded to the police announcement.
“I think it shows the police had no plan to investigate such a serious case, and they do not want to charge the officers responsible,” he said.
