Rioters causing surge in crime: Police Commissioner

Chris Tang says 'rioters' have 'made' general members of the public think destroying things is ok, and they then smash up jewellery stores to steal watches. Photo: RTHK

Police Commissioner Chris Tang on Friday blamed “black-shirted rioters” for causing a surge in crime by tying up police resources and weakening the public’s compliance with the law.



Speaking to reporters after greeting front line officers patrolling the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui on Christmas Eve, Tang said the overall crime rate for the first half of the year had dropped by 4.7 percent to its lowest rate since 1977, but said ‘rioters’ had erased all the gains and caused the crime figure to rise 4.2 percent for the year up to November.



Break-ins were up by 44 percent, and robberies increased 28 percent over the same time period; while cases of arson, criminal damage and public security-related crimes were also up, Tang said.



He said much of the force’s manpower has been allocated to dealing with protests, saying the social unrest has “definitely had an effect” on police patrols.



The dangers posed by people who attack officers with knives, arrows, or corrosive liquids, he said, meant that many officers are no longer safe in two-person groups.



Many now elect to conduct patrols in larger groups, or inside vehicles, he said.



Tang added that he was alarmed at findings of a recent survey which suggested that 40 percent of people are fine with breaking the law for a cause they consider to be just.



“These rioters wantonly smash up shops, and they make general members of society think ‘oh, smashing things up is ok?’ then they come out to smash up jewellery shops and take all the watches. I think the decline in law abidance is a very serious problem”, Tang said.



He also spoke of the difficulties police face in their work – saying many are surrounded and abused while they’re doing their jobs, while plainclothes police get chased around and many even try to free suspects who have been detained.



“I very much hope the people will support us in enforcing the law. Relying only on the police to do this isn’t enough. I hope people don’t break the law, don’t condone others to break the law, and condemn the rioters”, Tang added.



“Only if people cooperate with us can we truly have peace and quiet back.”