Police now claim Ventus Lau failed to end rally

Ventus Lau told the crowd the rally was over and asked them to leave peacefully in the direction of Admiralty, reporters said. Photo: RTHK

The police on Monday explained once again why they had arrested one of the organisers of a rally that officers brought to an abrupt end on Sunday, claiming that he had failed to appeal to the crowd to leave.



A senior superintendent of operations, Ng Lok-chun, said some protesters were trying to block roads and damage surveillance cameras in the area around the rally in Central, so the police ordered the assembly to be disbanded being as they believed the organisers were unable to control the situation.



Ng told RTHK that a leading member of the organising group, Ventus Lau, had been uncooperative, and had tried to make things difficult for officers by demanding to see their warrant cards.



The senior superintendent also claimed that Lau did not appeal to the protesters to disperse.



However, reporters at the scene noted that Lau did announce that the rally was over and had asked the crowd to leave peacefully in the direction of Admiralty.



Organisers also used loudhailers to ask marshals to help people leave, urging the protesters to remain calm.



Lau was arrested for "obstructing police" and for allegedly failing to comply with the requirements of the "Letter of No Objection" the force had issued for the rally.



Police said four officers were hurt while policing Sunday’s rally, including community liaison officers who were chased from Chater Garden to the Cheung Kong Centre and beaten, shortly after they asked Lau to end the assembly.