Occupy Central
Occupy Central is a civil disobedience movement which began in Hong Kong on September 28, 2014. It calls on thousands of protesters to block roads and paralyse Hong Kong's financial district if the Beijing and Hong Kong governments do not agree to implement universal suffrage for the chief executive election in 2017 and the Legislative Council elections in 2020 according to "international standards." The movement was initiated by Benny Tai Yiu-ting (戴耀廷), an associate professor of law at the University of Hong Kong, in January 2013.
Umbrella Movement
The Umbrella Movement (Chinese: 雨傘運動; pinyin: yǔsǎn yùndòng) is a loose political movement that was created spontaneously during the Hong Kong protests of 2014. Its name derives from the recognition of the umbrella as a symbol of defiance and resistance against the Hong Kong government, and the united grass-roots objection to the decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) of 31 August.
The movement consists of individuals numbering in the tens of thousands who participated in the protests that began on 28 September 2014, although Scholarism, the Hong Kong Federation of Students, Occupy Central with Love and Peace, groups are principally driving the demands for the rescission of the NPCSC decision.
The movement consists of individuals numbering in the tens of thousands who participated in the protests that began on 28 September 2014, although Scholarism, the Hong Kong Federation of Students, Occupy Central with Love and Peace, groups are principally driving the demands for the rescission of the NPCSC decision.
POST OCCUPY CENTRAL - DAY 149:
Full coverage of the day’s events on 14-05
Police chief honors his word with apology
Security chief Lai Tung-kwok came out in defense of the police, saying officers have properly handled the case of an autistic man who was released after being charged with manslaughter over the slaying of an elderly man in Tuen Mun.
Such a defensive response will never win the force any public sympathy.
The 30-year-old suspect, surnamed Au, was freed after police verified his alibi - that he was nowhere near the scene at the time 73-year-old Ng Lik-kang was killed last month.
The case led Au's family to demand a police apology, saying he was denied medication during detention despite his younger brother telling investigators about Au's need for medication.
These are obviously issues that Lai needs to face up to, and that is an area he can learn from Police Commissioner Stephen Lo Wai-chung.
To be sure, there is always the possibility of the force making a mistake. Generally speaking, it conforms to common sense for the force to own up to it and apologize if one was indeed made.
However, the issue of an apology is no longer a simple matter because the police have a history it needs to overcome.
For former commissioner Tang King-shing was nicknamed "Sorry Sir" for his penchant for ready apologies, with their knock-on impact on force morale.
His successor, Andy Tsang Wai- hung, turned it around, declaring it would be an "Arabian Nights fantasy" for the force to apologize for upholding the law.
As a result, staff morale was boosted, but at the dire cost of public image.
Now, Lo has steered a righteous line between his two predecessors. The police force apologized late last night.
That apology is a statement of intent and wisdom on Lo's part on an issue of utmost concern.
Au was interrogated according to standard procedures, but because of his autism, he tended to repeat the last few words of investigators' questions.
Then there were the disturbing reports of delays in releasing him even after his alibi had checked out.
In owning up to the error, Lo has followed the dictum passed on by Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun- wah that with great power comes great responsibility.
The police enjoy great power, so therefore officers have the responsibility to maintain public order to keep Hong Kong safe.
In the course of doing so, it's of paramount importance for them to have the public's trust.
With a Legislative Council vote imminent on the highly divisive issue of electoral reforms, Lo may have prepared himself for the controversies stemming from protests by government and opposition supporters.
In apologizing, he has steered a course between the occasional unnecessary apologies of Tang and the stubborn refusal of Tsang to acknowledge even the hint of a wrongdoing.
Yesterday, the New Territories South regional commander said the force is reviewing the handling of the case, with a view to making improvements.
At his inaugural press conference, Lo said he would admit to mistakes if they're made. By doing so, he has drawn a line that must now be tread carefully by a police force that is at odds with a wide swath of the community over political reforms.
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