Representatives of Hong Kong Motor Transport Workers General Union assembled in front of the Hong Kong police headquarters to petition the police to curb violence on Oct. 11, 2019. (Xinhua)
Representatives of Hong Kong's largest land transport trade union assembled Friday to condemn the escalating violence which threatened drivers' livelihood and safety, and to urge the police to bring rioters to justice.
Holding a large banner with slogans condemning rioters for their lawless violent acts and urging the police for strict law enforcement to ensure professional drivers' safety, more than 30 representatives of Hong Kong Motor Transport Workers General Union assembled in front of the Hong Kong police headquarters building and presented a letter of petition to the police.
Chan Siu-wah, chairman of Motor Transport Workers General Union, said professional drivers' livelihood has been seriously affected by the rioters' continued acts of vandalism over the past four months, including sabotaging public transport facilities and blocking major highways.
Due to the recent unrest, the income of taxi drivers has decreased by 30 to 50 percent, while some tourist bus drivers had no income or even lost their jobs, Chan said.
He pointed out that as the violence escalated, the rioters committed arson at various locations, maliciously attacked law enforcement officers and used abusive force against innocent people who disagreed with them, posing a growing threat to professional drivers' livelihood as well as property and personal safety.
Ho Chi-keung, director of the taxi driver branch of Motor Transport Workers General Union, said some rioters even set up barricades on the road, intercepted vehicles and questioned the drivers. If the drivers did not offer satisfactory answers, they could be barred from passage or even beaten up.
"The drivers had to swallow their anger for fear that they would be beaten if they did not agree, and were extremely anxious for their own safety," Ho said, adding that the society is currently "full of black terror" and urging the police for effective measures to curb the violence and chaos soon.
