Hong Kong police have warned web users of the “criminal consequences” of online behaviour after its official Facebook page was flooded with critical comments just hours after it launched on Monday.

The Hong Kong Police Facebook page.

A police spokesperson said comments that are “negative,” “indecent” or suspected of violating laws will be deleted.

“We would like to make an appeal [that] criminal behaviour online has legal consequences just the same as in real life,” Senior Superintendent Catherine Kwan Chui-ching of the Police Public Relations Bureau said in a Monday press conference.

Senior Superintendent Catherine Kwan Chui-ching of the police public relations bureau warns about criminal consequences of online behaviour. Photo: TVB news screenshot.

The warning came after tens of thousands of comments, mostly negative, were left under the first two posts police made on its official Facebook page.

Many asked the police why they had not arrested seven officers suspected of beating a protester during last year’s pro-democracy Umbrella Movement.

The police force said it aims to improve communication with the public by posting information on its new Facebook page. In less than one day, the page has attracted over 25,000 likes and more than 31,000 comments.