CE puts teachers in the dock over 'school violence'

Chief Executive Carrie Lam says violence has now 'entered schools' and this is affecting the safety of pupils and their parents. Photo: RTHK

Frances Sit reports

Chief Executive Carrie Lam says she has ordered Education Secretary Kevin Yeung to "seriously follow up" on any teachers arrested or found to have "violated rules", as she fears violence has now infected the city's schools.



Before going into Tuesday morning's Executive Council meeting, the CE noted that 40 percent of the 6,000 or so people arrested over the past six months of protests are students.



She said she was very worried to see that the arrests include children from about 300 secondary schools.



Lam said she was aware that a teacher and several pupils were arrested on Monday on suspicion of trying to set up road blocks in Sheung Shui and that later on Monday, police said they had discovered home-made bombs near Wah Yan College in Wan Chai.



Lam said violence is now "entering school campuses" and this will affect the safety of pupils and their parents. This is why, she said, she has tasked Yeung with following up on teachers who have been arrested. She didn't elaborate.



The CE also urged schools to stop their students from joining "illegal and violent activities".



She noted that Sunday's massive protest march passed off peacefully for the most part, but said she was furious that "radicals" had damaged the High Court and Court of Final Appeal buildings.



Lam said Hong Kong's rights and freedoms have not been eroded and political figures should refrain from spreading false claims about the SAR overseas.



She also conceded that the pro-establishment camp's crushing defeat in last month's district council elections was a message from voters that they are unhappy with her administration.



Lam did not give an answer when asked whether she expects Article 23 national security legislation to be discussed when she meets President Xi Jinping during her upcoming annual duty visit to the capital. Lam is due to fly to Beijing on Saturday.