Wang Zhimin, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR, speaks out against the violent attack on the office in Sai Wan by masked protesters the day before, July 22, 2019. (Photo provide to chinadaily.com.cn)
The central government's top official in Hong Kong made the "strongest condemnation" against an unlawful mob for vandalizing the liaison office Sunday night, and said he believed the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and its law-enforcement bodies will punish those responsible according to the law.
Wang Zhimin, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR, made the remarks after radical protesters besieged the office in Sai Wan, vandalizing its outer wall and defacing the National Emblem hanging on the building's fa ade the day before.
Meeting the press briefly outside the office, the liaison chief said Sunday's violent acts blatantly challenged the authority of the national Constitution and the SAR's Basic Law, as well as the central government's authority and the country's sovereignty and security.
Noting Hong Kong has seen a series of radical protests that exceeded the extent of peaceful demonstration, Wang said these acts have challenged the city's rule of law and seriously undermined the fundamental interests of Hong Kong residents. It has also hurt the feelings of all Chinese people, he added, including those in Hong Kong.
Wang Zhimin, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR, speaks out against the violent attack on the office in Sai Wan by masked protesters the day before, July 22, 2019. [Photo provide to chinadaily.com.cn]
Wang believed all sectors in the SAR won't allow such chaos to continue, he said. Hong Kong is home to 7 million people and this shared home has seen loyalty from generation to generation and staunch support from the nation, Wang said.
He pledged the liaison office will firmly perform its duties as vested in them by the central government, and continue to support the SAR government in exercising law-based governance as well as supporting law enforcement bodies to safeguard and restore the city's law and order by effectively punishing unlawful rioters according to the law.
Extreme violence and vandalism targeting the liaison office occurred on Sunday night. Protesters erected makeshift roadblocks using metal barricades in front of the office, hurled eggs at the building and sprayed paint on CCTV cameras. The national emblem mounted at the office entrance was also defaced with black liquid, and graffiti with vulgar language was painted on the outer wall.
The defaced national emblem was replaced with a new one around 11 pm on Sunday.
Affected residents and shop owners blasted the attack on the liaison office in Sai Wan by masked protesters the day before.
An 81-year-old woman who lives in an adjacent area strongly condemned protesters' vandalism of sidewalks.
Pried bricks and damaged barrier railing were seen in the vicinity of the office as well.
She said protesters should express their views in a peaceful manner instead of vandalizing public property funded by taxpayer money.
