Hong Kong a ‘police state’? Visit, see for yourself, commissioner challenges

Hong Kong’s police chief has rejected lingering labels of the city as a “police state” under the tight control of authorities since the 2019 anti-government protests, as he invited foreign sceptics to visit the financial hub and assess the actual situation for themselves.

Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu Chak-yee also told the Post that the force would continue to investigate the outstanding cases of 7,000 people arrested over the demonstrations despite facing obstacles in gathering evidence.

Critics had labelled Hong Kong a “police state” following authorities’ crackdown on the social unrest and the subsequent enactment of Beijing-imposed and domestic national security laws.

But the leader of the 27,000-strong police force disagreed, saying the critics were trying to smear the force or the government.

“Facts speak louder than words. Come and visit us, and see the actual situation,” Siu said in an exclusive interview with the Post.

“As you can see how effective the Hong Kong police have been working, I’ve heard from a lot of people that tourists coming to Hong Kong – they feel safe when they go out even during nighttime. Why? Because we have an effective police force, unlike some other countries.”

The commissioner said the force was committed to protecting Hong Kong people through “empathetical policing”.