Hong Kong leader angry over ‘police state’ jibe

Hong Kong’s leader yesterday hit back at a US senator who said the city is becoming a police state.

The city has been battered by more than four months of pro-democracy protests – and increasingly violent clashes with the police. Beijing-backed Chief Executive Carrie Lam has been unable to end the crisis.

Some US politicians – including Republican senator Josh Hawley – are trying to pass legislation that would make Hong Kong’s special trading status subject to annual reviews of its political situation.

However, Mrs Lam hit back. “Some foreign politicians ... still think this is a peaceful protest that fights for human rights and freedom, or even said they have not seen any violence,” she said. “This is total ignorance of the truth.”

Mr Hawley, a sponsor of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, had said during a weekend visit to the city that it was “in danger of sliding towards a police state”.

Earlier, fellow Republican senator Ted Cruz accused the Chinese government of trying to impose dictatorship on Hong Kong.

Mrs Lam said the US politicians had “preconceived views” about Hong Kong. She said Mr Hawley’s description of Hong Kong becoming a police state was “totally irresponsible and unfounded”.

The Hong Kong protests were sparked by opposition to a now-scrapped proposal by Mrs Lam’s government that would have allowed extraditions to the mainland. Protests have transformed into a wider push for democratic reform – including universal suffrage – and greater police accountability.

The semi-autonomous territory enjoys freedoms under the terms of its 1997 handover to China by Britain that critics say are being eroded because of Beijing’s tightening grip on the city.