Beijing backs Hong Kong’s disciplined services after demonstrations against police athletes at international sports event in Canada

[Nan Yang]

Beijing backs Hong Kong’s disciplined services after demonstrations against police athletes at international sports event in Canada​

• Three Beijing agencies congratulate city team’s record medal haul at World Police and Fire Games and slam protests over city’s participation
• Complaints made that Canada should hot have allowed Hong Kong police officers into country on human rights grounds

Ng Kang-chung
Published: 10:51pm, 8 Aug, 2023

Hong Kong disciplined services athletes, who netted a record haul of medals at the World Police and Fire Games, return to the city on Tuesday. Photo: Facebook / Security Bureau

Beijing has assured Hong Kong’s disciplined services of its unwavering support as the city team celebrated its best-ever medal haul at the World Police and Fire Games in Canada.

The support for the services as they exercise their duties came on Tuesday after the city team won 275 medals at this year’s World Police and Fire Games, held in Canada.

Hong Kong sent a 350-strong team – made up mostly of athletes from the police force – to compete at the event, held every two years.

The medal total included 97 gold, 90 silver, and 88 bronze, the city’s most successful performance at the games.

But the city’s involvement in the event, held in Winnipeg, also sparked controversy and complaints that the Hong Kong police should not have been allowed to compete on human rights grounds.

Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki welcomes home the disciplined services team that competed at the World Police and Fire Games in Canada. Photo: Handout

Some activists in Canada were unhappy that Hong Kong police officers had been welcomed and highlighted alleged brutality against protesters during the 2019 social unrest.

But three Beijing agencies set up to oversee Hong Kong affairs condemned “anti-China disrupters” for harassing the Hong Kong team during the games, which ended on Sunday.

A spokesman for the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office congratulated the city’s team, which returned home on Tuesday, for their outstanding performance.

He said: “We pay respectful tribute and extend our warmest congratulations to them.”

The spokesman added the central government had full confidence in the Hong Kong disciplined services and would back them in the performance of their duties in accordance with the law.

He took aim at “anti-China disrupters” for stirring trouble and harassing the Hong Kong team members.

“We condemn in the strongest terms those despicable behaviours and disgusting shows,” the spokesman said.

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong...s-anniversary?module=hard_link&pgtype=article​

Beijing’s Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong used its WeChat account to congratulate the team and praise the uniformed services for their hard work during the 2019 social unrest.

The office said they had contributed to Hong Kong’s transition from chaos to order and to its advancement from stability to prosperity.

“The smearing by the anti-China disrupters against the Hong Kong disciplined services demonstrates clearly that … they are the nemesis of the lawbreaking elements,” it added.

A spokesman for the Beijing liaison office in Hong Kong also hit out at “anti-China disrupters who had fled overseas” as well as “some Western politicians and anti-China groups” for attempts to politicise the sports event.

The spokesman said the central government would back the government’s bid to bring those “disrupters who have fled Hong Kong ” to justice.

Hong Kong national security police last month offered HK$1 million (US$128,000) a head in reward money for information leading to the arrest of eight opposition figures, including Canada-born Dennis Kwok Wing-hang .

Some Hongkongers based in Canada staged protests against the city’s team at the opening ceremony for the games.

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong...uitment-drive?module=hard_link&pgtype=article​

Politicians from the opposition Conservative Party also expressed frustration at the Canadian government for allowing the Hong Kong officers to enter the country to compete.

The Hong Kong government’s No 2 official, Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki, welcomed the athletes home at the airport on Tuesday and said the team had made the city proud.

Chan also criticised people with “ulterior motives” who had attempted to politicise a sporting event.

“The incidents once again showed that the destabilising forces have not given up … and attempted to undermine Hong Kong’s international image, prosperity and stability by making slanderous remarks against the Hong Kong disciplined services and wantonly smearing and attacking Hong Kong using various excuses and occasions,” he said.

Chan added the influence of the anti-Hong Kong disrupters on the city’s stability and national security could not be taken lightly.

The games, held this year between July 28 and August 6, are an Olympic-style competition with more than 8,500 athletes representing police services, other law enforcement agencies and firefighters from more than 50 countries and regions around the world.

 

[REhorror]

Wow, 297 medals with 97 golds, that is crazy.

 

[JSCh]

highlighted alleged brutality against protesters during the 2019 social unrest.

After so many years, it is still alleged? I would say all are FAKE insinuated by media.