Anti-violence hotlines launched in Hong Kong

HONG KONG - The Hong Kong police said on Tuesday 10 anti-violence hotlines have been launched as the unrest entered the third month.

According to the police, the hotlines are solely for receiving anti-violence information, including photos, audio and video clips via WhatsApp in order to assist in the prevention and detection of crime.

At a daily press conference, Senior Superintendent Chan Chi-yung of Information Systems Wing of the Hong Kong Police Force said that the hotlines do not request the personal data of the informants.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent Wong Wai-shun of Operations Wing noted that violence by radical protesters has escalated, and their targets include people with different views, police stations and public facilities.

Given the serious threat to public security, the police consider it necessary to equip off-duty police officers with appropriate equipment to enable them to protect the public more effectively in case of emergency, said Wong.

As to the recent vandalism by rioters at several Mass Transit Railway (MTR) stations, Senior Superintendent Kong Wing-cheung of Public Relations Branch said the police will maintain close contact with the MTR Corporation, step up the collection of information on planned rallies and deploy police forces according to the situation.