Vandalism of court, attack on judge condemned

The government said attacks on the courts will undermine public confidence in the judicial system. Photo: RTHK

The DOJ says if people have complaints about courts, they should seek redress through legal means. Photo: RTHK

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday denounced the vandalism of High Court walls, with graffiti criticising the judiciary, saying this seriously affects the court's reputation and undermines public confidence in the judicial system.



One piece of graffiti sprayed on the walls of the High Court on New Year's Day mentioned Judge Anthea Pang by name.



In a statement, the DOJ said the SAR government respects the freedom of individual speech and the public has the right to express opinions on court decisions or related matters as permitted by law.



But abusing the judiciary will seriously undermine the authority of the courts and undermine public confidence in the judicial system, it said.



A DOJ spokesman said that if anyone has a dispute about any ruling, they should appeal through the existing system, and not attack or discredit judges personally, as this will only damage the rule of law in Hong Kong.



Meanwhile, HSBC condemned vandalism at its branches and facilities, saying such acts were inappropriate and unreasonable.



In a statement, the bank said some branch facilities and ATM machines will be temporarily closed because of the damage.



The bank said it would repair the damage as soon as possible while putting staff safety at its top priority. It said it believed the rule of law is the cornerstone of Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre and hoped that the incidents would be resolved as soon as possible.