Exclusive | Hong Kong protests need a political solution and that should start with withdrawing extradition bill, police watchdog chief Anthony Neoh says
- Anthony Neoh, head of the police watchdog, says formally withdrawing the unpopular extradition legislation would give it a ‘proper burial’ and soothe public anger
- He does not rule out a judge-led inquiry after that
Hong Kong must not rely on the police alone to restore calm to the city as the current impasse requires a political solution that should start with the formal withdrawal of the extradition bill that sparked the crisis, the chairman of the police watchdog has said.
Senior lawyer Anthony Neoh SC, who heads the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC), also did not rule out having a commission of inquiry at a later stage, once other restorative steps have been taken, including bringing about reconciliation.
“I don’t think the police by themselves can deal with the situation,” he said in an exclusive interview with the Post. His assessment stands in stark contrast to the brave face being put up by the city’s top police officers, who have expressed confidence in doing what the government has asked of them.
Neoh said police had been placed in the invidious position of enforcing law and order, and then having to cope with the fallout from Hongkongers who sympathise with the protesters.
He noted that if the police thought laws were being broken, they would have to deal with it. “But then, the more they deal with it, the more antipathy they create at the moment. And it becomes a vicious circle as we can all see. Let’s call a spade a spade on this one,” he said.
