HK is now a city of lies: police association chief

The head of the Junior Police Officers' Association says politicians will never win the public's trust and support by spreading lies and rumours. File photo: AFP

The head of Hong Kong's biggest police association said on Tuesday that the SAR has become a "city of lies", with politicians turning black into white and making things up every day to smear the force and the government.



Lam Chi-wai, the chairman of the Junior Police Officers' Association, made the comment in a letter to the group's 25,000 members.



He said some politicians and others in society have "ulterior motives" and are rationalising "illegal acts committed by rioters".



Lam said they are demonising police officers in order to achieve their political goals.



The association chief said people who "claim to be well-educated" not only fail to stop rumours, but add fuel to the fire to allow lies and hate to spread.



He said some of those responsible for this are current or incoming councillors who "bend the truth", for example by claiming protests will be peaceful as long as the police show restraint.



He said these same people have had little to say about an arson attack at court buildings on Sunday, or the force's seizure of a gun and knives.



Lam said people with such an attitude should be more careful about what they say and do, but in any case such lies will never win the trust and support of the people.