#OpinionArticle

Simon Shen on IPCC Effectiveness and Credibility

(11 Nov)
1. In Sep 2019, IPCC said "International Expert Panel will first examine the restructuring of the task force and the work of identifying the facts. It will focus on the work in the 2nd and 3rd phrases, which are evaluating of the policing measures and providing recommendations. "

Cheung Wah-fung, deputy Chairman of IPCC, said" the 5 board members of International Expert Panel are reputable, experienced and credible, they can improve the work and goodwill. "

2. Nov-2019, Denis O'Connor, Chairman of the Panel, criticised that IPCC was lacking of capacity and independent investigative capability. It must increase its resources and manpower to strengthen its power to obtain evidence for comprehensive investigation.

And Clifford Stott denounced that IPCC lacked investigation authority which matches the scale of the anti-elab protests in order to meet with the international standards and expectations in a society value freedom and rights.

3. Nov-2019, Cheung Wah-fung said "the Overseas Expert Panel may not fully understand the situation in HK, the procedure in investigation or obtaining evidence from police is not difficult"

According to his logic, there are two conclusions

4a. IPCC: When the Panel speaks for freedom and the truth, it lacks experience and credibility

4b. IPCC: When the Panel covers up for police, it understands the situation in HK well

Source: Simon Shen Facebook
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2821418687892263&id=223783954322429&sfnsn=mo

#InternationalCondom
#WhoWillBeFooled
#WeDisconnect
#PoliceState #IPCC #SimonShen

#IPCC Police Review Report Criticised for Being False and Biased

IPCC published its report on the anti-ELAB movement. Yuen Long District Councillor Tommy Cheung commented on the report on 17 May during RTHK’s City Forum program. Cheung said that he did not expect anything from the report: “you can’t be disappointed when you don’t have any expectation, but this report still blew our minds.”

He pointed out that the “facts” in the report were partial. In one instance, the report cited fake news and a fake poster calling for protest in Yuen Long on July 22, 2019 from Chinese social media, Weibo. Though it was known to be fake, the report still claimed that it was from LIHKG forum.

Cheung criticised IPCC for failing to verify its source and questioned the credibility of the report. IPCC council member Chan Kam-wing admitted that they “did not investigate”.

Cheung also indicated that the report reduced the July 21 incident into a “conflict between the black-clad and the white-clad". In reality, the white-clad gangsters did not just attack black-clad citizens, but also train passengers and passersby including a pregnant lady.

Moreover, the report justified the police’s claims such as “I can’t read the watch” and “I can’t see any weapon” as a “public relations” problem. Cheung showed that the report was biased towards the police: For instance, it was mentioned that someone tried to “freeze” the 999 call center, but in reality, they were citizens who tried to seek help.

Former Student Union President of the Education University Leung Yiu-ting, who was arrested during the 8.31 Prince Edward station incident, questioned why the police never seek information from witnesses. This contradicts the police saying that they want to investigate.

Source: Stand News #May17 #PoliceBrutality #HongKongPolice #721YuenLong #831PrinceEdward

IPCC trusts and adopts entirely what the commissioner of police has said, instead of taking an objective and independent stance of investigation

#IPCC

#NeverForget
"Tracing the Source" - 7.21 Yuen Long Attack Investigative Report by Stand News

Days ahead of the 2-year anniversary of the 7.21 Yuen Long Attack, Stand News published a video report investigating the allegations from the pro-Beijing camp that the conflict was initiated by pro-democracy protesters.

English captions have been added by Real Hong Kong News. Watch the video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Gch5ikVyI80

The report found that pro-Beijing groups and Hong Kong police, and the #IPCC all cited a poster calling for a protest in Yuen Long on 7.21, during the height of the 2019 anti-ELAB protests.

Notably, the IPCC's special investigation report was quoted in the court case of 7 pro-Beijing men charged for rioting on 7.21, the only alleged white-shirt attackers who have been charged to date.

However, HKU research found that the poster had first gone viral on Chinese social media platform #Weibo and other pro-Beijing groups, instead of the #LIHKG forum frequented by pro-democracy protesters.

When the poster later reached LIHKG, it was mostly met with skepticism; eventually being treated by commentators as fake information.

Pro-Beijing groups, however, had used the poster to stir up fears of "rioters" coming to Yuen Long, even calling on people to bring canes and water pipes to repel the presumed "invaders".

During the evening of 7.21 when the incensed mobs struck indiscriminately at civilians, multiple pro-Beijing figures were seen on the streets with the white-shirts. Pro-Beijing lawmaker Junius Ho was also filmed encouraging and shaking hands with white-shirts.

Patrolling police officers were seen walking away from the sites where civilians were attacked.

Footage also showed Pak Heung Division Commander Li Hon-man mingling and thanking white-shirts who scuffled with pro-democracy citizens during the week leading up to the attack.

These, as well as other reports from that evening, contributed to public discontent and suspicion that the police force is colluding with the Triads.

Since then, Pro-Beijing groups have distanced themselves with the events of the night, and clung to the narrative that they were defending their homes from supposed incursion by the black shirts. When Stand News approached several leaders who had been identified in the night's footage, many declined to comment, or simply cut off the interview.

Some victims of the attack had sued the police force for reparations to cover the costs of surgery and long-term medications to treat their injuries; however, the Department of Justice called their claims "unreasonable". They had since withdrawn their case, since their lawyer - pro-democracy legislator Albert Ho - is now in jail, leaving them feeling helpless and deprived of justice.

Source: Stand News
Caption Translation: Real Hong Kong News

#YuenLong721 #StandNews #Documentation #Report