Nine months after the June 12 incident, a large number of passers-by were searched in Mongkok’s downtown area, taken head shots with their ID cards one by one and asked to read their names
Today marks the ninth month of the June 12 police clash. Netizens plan to hold a screening event in many districts in Hong Kong starting from 7:30 pm today to call on the public to “forget not the debut of resistance to violence and to continue the ambition of revolution”. The screening in Mongkok was peaceful and orderly until 8pm, but the riot police stood by and deployed a large number of riot police to patrol the streets of Mongkok, stopping and searching people from time to time in an attempt to create white terror.
After the screening at 9 p.m., someone suddenly set up a barricade along Sai Yeung Choi Street South near Soy Street with cardboard boxes and other miscellaneous items. After seeing the situation, the riot police began to send officers to the scene to set up a cordon and ask the reporters to return to the pavement, during which they kept pushing and shouting at the reporters. They also kept shining bright flashlights at the public and held up pepper spray as a threat.
After the setting up of the cordon, the police began to intercept and check the 20-odd people stranded inside the cordon at Sai Yeung Choi Street South. Among them, volunteer first aiders and reporters who were wearing reflective suits were also “greeted” by a number of riot police. After a round of searches, a number of people who were stopped were released one after another.
After one round of searches, at least seven people were taken to the police car with their hands tied backwards for unknown reasons. As seen on the scene, citizens had to wait in line on Sai Yeung Choi South Street for officers to search. After the search, people need to stand with their ID cards and be photographed one by one by police cameras before they are allowed to leave, a process similar to that of a prisoner shooting.
Laws of Hong Kong Cap. 232 Police Force Ordinance Section 54(2):
(2) If a police officer finds any person in any street or other public place, or on board any vessel, or in any conveyance, at any hour of the day or night, whom he reasonably suspects of having committed or of being about to commit or of intending to commit any offence, it shall be lawful for the police officer—(a) to stop the person for the purpose of demanding that he produce proof of his identity for inspection by the police officer;(b) to detain the person for a reasonable period while the police officer enquires whether or not the person is suspected of having committed any offence at any time;(c) to search the person for anything that is likely to be of value (whether by itself or together with anything else) to the investigation of any offence that the person has committed, or is reasonably suspected of having committed or of being about to commit or of intending to commit; and(d) to detain the person during such period as is reasonably required for the purpose of such a search.It is an offence for a police officer to take such action without reasonable suspicion.
Police General Orders Chapter 44 section 44-03:
2. 11. Notwithstanding the lawful exercise of statutory powers, officers shall comply with the requirements under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance [PD(P)O] when requesting or requiring data from a subject, and subsequently the handling of the data (including the recording, security and disposal of data). For further information on the PD(P)O, please refer to PGO/FPM Chapter 12, PGO/FPM Chapter 76 and the Data Privacy Web Site on POINT.
March 12 screening event - nine months after Mong Kok 612 incident
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