HONG KONG, KOMPAS.com – Police Hong Kong came under fire, after circulating video they grabbed a 12 year old girl and knocked her to the ground.
Law enforcement claimed the boy was in an illegal encounter, and claimed to use “minimum force” because of his suspicious behavior.
Meanwhile, the girl’s family revealed that she only bought school supplies and ran away because she was afraid when faced Police.
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The incident occurred amid protests on Sunday (6/9/2020), protesting the Hong Kong government’s decision to postpone elections.
The government argued that this step was needed in the midst of the corona virus outbreak. But the opposition accuses the authorities of wanting to prevent them from voting.
What does the video show?
Reported by the BBC Monday (7/09/2020), the video on Sunday afternoon showed two policemen approaching the girl in the Mong Kok area and telling her to be quiet.
When approached, the boy suddenly ran where one of the officers had hit him with a stick, and his partner lunged at him from the front.
More riot police later came where the child was frozen on the ground, with the sister who wanted to help also arrested.
Local media reported that the boy and his brother were later hospitalized with minor injuries. They were later sentenced to a fine.
Together with a road user, they were fined on the grounds of social distancing rules, which prohibit meetings of more than two people.
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What is the girl’s version of the incident?
The boy, identified only by local media as Pamela, admitted that at the time of the incident he was going to buy school supplies.
To the site i-Cable, he revealed that the road he was about to take was filled with officers. So he had to hasten his pace in order to go home.
But suddenly several law enforcers arrived. “I was very scared. They told us not to move. But I panicked and then ran,” he said.
Her sister later said they wanted to sue the fine they received for violating social restrictions.
“We were just walking. So there should be no reason for the police to come to us,” said the brother, who was not identified.
While their mother confessed, they initially went together to buy basic necessities. She came home with her two children still outside.
Because of this, he was so angry to hear their son was arrested by law enforcement on the ground.
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What about the Hong Kong police version?
In their official release, law enforcement claims they intervened in a protest in Mong Kong, where demonstrators refused to disperse despite being warned.
They then approached Pamela and her sister just to search, before she ran “with suspicious behavior”.
“Because of that our officers then pursued and detained him with minimal force,” explained Hong Kong law enforcement.
After an investigation, they later explained that Pamela and her sister were members of the prohibited group.
They argue that they care about the younger generation participating in the forbidden group meetings, which clearly “threatens their safety”.
The authorities then advised young people to avoid high-risk protests, and not throw themselves into danger.
Also read: US Government Suspends Extradition Treaty with Hong Kong due to Fears of Chinese Intervention
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